Obituary: Dale Henry May

Dale Henry May, 81, passed away at his home in Camp Verde, Ariz., where he lived for the past 15 years with his wife Bobbye (White) May. Born in Hillsboro, Ill., Dale moved to the Kingman, Ariz., area as an infant with his parents Henry and Leah (Masur) May.

He grew up in Kingman, Ariz., and worked for his father's Mobile Oil distributorship. His family moved to the Prescott area where Dale attended Prescott High School for two years where he played on the State Championship Football Team. After returning to Kingman, he graduated from Mohave County Union High School in 1948.

Dale enlisted in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War Conflict and returned to Kingman periodically, where he met and married Barbara Mae Kerr.

After his tour of duty in the Navy, Dale became a member of the first police force of the City of Kingman. Dale was the third police officer on the force. Later he joined Ford Motor Company when the remote proving grounds at Yucca, Ariz., were established. He retired from Ford in May of 1980. He was an avid outdoorsman as a hunter, fisherman, camper, and explorer of the Colorado, Utah and Arizona areas. He was also a lifelong caregiver toward countless animals. In his youth he enjoyed riding bulls, his horses, and in later years his ATV. Memberships included the Kingman and Camp Verde Masonic Lodges, the Kingman Methodist Church, Desert Crossroads Free Methodist Church, and the Camp Verde Methodist Church.

Dale was preceded in death by his first wife Barbara after 42 years of marriage. They had three daughters, Debra Lynn Himes (Gary), Suzan Lee Simmons (Darrel) and Nancy Ann Slone (Bill). He is survived by four granddaughters, Laurel Simmons, Lindsay Simmons, Karra Simmons and Sydney Slone; three grandsons, David Himes, Kent Simmons (Alyssa) and Jonathan Himes; three great grandchildren; and four stepsons, Lee Roy White, David White, Bruce White and Randy Austin with their families.

Siblings surviving Dale May include one sister, Frances Bizjak and husband Gil of the Pioneer Home in Prescott; and two brothers Harold "Sonny" May (Mamie) of Kingman and Donald May (Pauline) of Clarkdale, Ariz. Preceding Dale in death were a sister Josephine Nivens (Pat) of Kingman, and a brother Kenneth May of Prescott.

For Camp Verde friends, there will also be a visitation from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 15, 2010, at the Bueler Funeral Home, 143 W. Arnold St. in Camp Verde, Ariz.

A funeral service in Kingman, Ariz., will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 16, at Canyon Community Church, 3270 North Harvard St. (formerly Desert Crossroads Free Methodist Church). Visitation in Kingman will occur two hours prior to the service from 9 to 11 a.m. at the church. Burial will be at Mountain View Cemetery in Kingman following the service at the church.

Information provided by survivors.


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