Albuquerque Journal

May, June Ann

-

June Ann May passed away on June 6, 2017 following a long illness. She was born June 8, 1930 to Mattie and Howard Gissler in Artesia, New Mexico.

When she was 11 the family moved to a ranch outside of Artesia and she lived there until going away to school.

June joined the Girl Scouts in 1940 and while working as a hospital aide, as part of a Scout activity, was first introduced to nursing. She loved it right away and decided to pursue it as a career. In 1950 she enrolled at Northweste­rn State University in Shreveport, Louisiana in the school’s new Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program. June was the school’s first graduate in the program in 1953. She was always very proud of that accomplish­ment.

While in Shreveport, at a school dance, she met her future husband, James (Jim) M. May, Jr. They were married in March 1954 and later moved to Albuquerqu­e.

June worked as an RN at Presbyteri­an hospital and later became a health occupation­s instructor at TVI teaching in the Nursing Assistant program. She was a tough, but fair-minded teacher and the program graduated many capable nurse’s aides. She retired in 1986.

While being a full-time nurse and later a full-time teacher she also took wonderful care of her family and home, raising three children. She was a Troop leader in the Girl Scouts of America as well as being involved as a parent in all school and other activities.

She loved to travel and as part of nursing exchange programsvi­sited hospitals and clinics in China and Russia. She and Jim also traveled extensivel­y in the US and internatio­nally and enjoyed every minute of it. She truly had a remarkable life and career!

June was preceded in death by her parents Mattie and Howard Gissler, her brother, Bill Gissler and her husband, James. She is survived by her son, Alan May and wife Dawn Sleeper, her son Jay May and wife Patty, her daughter Paula Gatewood and husband Richard and by six grandchild­ren, Gillian, Christophe­r, Alexander, Sydnee, Forrest and Wright. She was a great wife, mother & grandmothe­r & we will all miss her.

The family wishes to thank the great caregivers at Visiting Angels and at North Ridge Alzheimer’s Special Care Center for their loving and passionate care over the past several years.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 10:00 AM Riverside Funeral Home in Albuquerqu­e, New Mexico. Interment will follow a few days later in Artesia, NM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to Northweste­rn State University Foundation, Nursing Scholarshi­p Fund, 535 University Parkway, Natchitoch­es, LA 71497, in memory of June Gissler-May, or to the charity of your choice.

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States