The two Dean May's
My grandfather and great grandfather are both named Dean May. I will start with great grandfathers history then my grandfather.
Dean May was born May 5, 1896 the son of James and Samantha Coney May. He died on May 31, 1970 in Canton and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lewistown, Illinois. He married Jennie Graham on April 7, 1917 in Lewistown. Dean had worked as an assembler for the International Harvestor in Canton and retired in 1961.
Jennie was born October 3, 1896 in Bryant, Illinois to Lewis Butler and Florence (Crawford) Graham Jennie died September 25, 1974 in Canton. By what my mom knew from briefly knowing her was she had Alzeihmers pretty bad.
I guess Jennie's father was a real jerk and I was told by my father that story goes Lewis Graham went to beat Jennie. Dean a tall man with big hands grabbed him and lifted him up warning him never to lay a hand on her again.
Here are pictures and also the grave:
Dean and Jennie's children:
1. James May was born June 6, 1922 and died September 18, 2004. He was a nice old man having known him myself. He was the owner of Mays flower shop in Canton and I'd get free candy when I went there as a kid. He was an alderman for the city of Canton for years. He was engaged to Helen Leary who passed away in 2001. I went to both funerals. Both were kind people. Never heard a bad thing about anyone said from either one.
2. Leo G. May died in 1999 and was a World War II Veteran. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.
3. Dean May was born May 20, 1918 in Lewistown. He died on April 2, 1990 in Canton. He married Jeanne Suydam. My grandfather.
4. Latricia May died December 25, 1984. She worked at Caterpillar. She never married. She is buried at White Chapel Memorial Gardens in Canton, Illinois.
5. Florence May. She married Joseph Picton. She was born September 19, 1924 in Cuba, Illinois and died Febuary 5, 2007 in Canton. She married Joseph Picton in 1947.
6. Edna May. She married Larry Murphy. She was born January 6, 1931 and died October 17, 2012 in Canton. She was married to a Mayall before marrying Larry Murphy. She worked for Caterpillar for 25 years.
Flo and Edna Pic:
Now onto my grandfather Dean Eugene May.
Dean E. May was born May 20, 1918 in Lewistown. He married Jeanne Beatrice Suydam on May 4, 1940 in Palmyra, Missouri. He worked at Caterpillar for 30 years retiring in 1980. He died on April 2, 1990 and is buried with wife at White Chapel Memorial Gardens in Canton.
Jeanne B. May was born May 25, 1917 in Canton the daughter of Fred L. and Bessie (Johnson) Suydam. She was a 1939 graduate of Graham Hospital school of nursing. She retired from Graham Hospital in 1972. She passed away on Febuary 25, 1993 of Colon Cancer in Peoria.
Pictures of both:
Children of Dean and Jeanne:
1. Willard Dean May was born July 7, 1941 in Canton. He died on November 27, 2007 in Canton. He was married twice. The second was my mother Susan Daniels who died last year in October 2019. They married June 8, 1973 in Peoria. He worked at the International Harvestor in Canton, Midland Coal mine at Trivoli for 16 years and Intermet Havana foundry from 1994 til 2004. He played Santa for kids for 50 years.
2. James Allen May was born in Febuary 1943 and died in 2018. He is buried like his brother near his parents and sister in Canton. He was a retired postal worker.
3. Janice Elizabeth May was born in 1947 and died on November 26, 1955. She is buried next to parents. She was raped and murdered in 1955 by a cab driver though its debated by some. While I think he did it I do awknowledge if DNA testing was a thing back then it would easily determine if he was or not.
Picture of Janice and articles on murder:
Pictures of Dean and Jeanne plus sons and obituary for Dean.
Dean May was born May 5, 1896 the son of James and Samantha Coney May. He died on May 31, 1970 in Canton and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lewistown, Illinois. He married Jennie Graham on April 7, 1917 in Lewistown. Dean had worked as an assembler for the International Harvestor in Canton and retired in 1961.
Jennie was born October 3, 1896 in Bryant, Illinois to Lewis Butler and Florence (Crawford) Graham Jennie died September 25, 1974 in Canton. By what my mom knew from briefly knowing her was she had Alzeihmers pretty bad.
I guess Jennie's father was a real jerk and I was told by my father that story goes Lewis Graham went to beat Jennie. Dean a tall man with big hands grabbed him and lifted him up warning him never to lay a hand on her again.
Here are pictures and also the grave:
Dean and Jennie's children:
1. James May was born June 6, 1922 and died September 18, 2004. He was a nice old man having known him myself. He was the owner of Mays flower shop in Canton and I'd get free candy when I went there as a kid. He was an alderman for the city of Canton for years. He was engaged to Helen Leary who passed away in 2001. I went to both funerals. Both were kind people. Never heard a bad thing about anyone said from either one.
2. Leo G. May died in 1999 and was a World War II Veteran. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.
3. Dean May was born May 20, 1918 in Lewistown. He died on April 2, 1990 in Canton. He married Jeanne Suydam. My grandfather.
4. Latricia May died December 25, 1984. She worked at Caterpillar. She never married. She is buried at White Chapel Memorial Gardens in Canton, Illinois.
5. Florence May. She married Joseph Picton. She was born September 19, 1924 in Cuba, Illinois and died Febuary 5, 2007 in Canton. She married Joseph Picton in 1947.
6. Edna May. She married Larry Murphy. She was born January 6, 1931 and died October 17, 2012 in Canton. She was married to a Mayall before marrying Larry Murphy. She worked for Caterpillar for 25 years.
Flo and Edna Pic:
Now onto my grandfather Dean Eugene May.
Dean E. May was born May 20, 1918 in Lewistown. He married Jeanne Beatrice Suydam on May 4, 1940 in Palmyra, Missouri. He worked at Caterpillar for 30 years retiring in 1980. He died on April 2, 1990 and is buried with wife at White Chapel Memorial Gardens in Canton.
Jeanne B. May was born May 25, 1917 in Canton the daughter of Fred L. and Bessie (Johnson) Suydam. She was a 1939 graduate of Graham Hospital school of nursing. She retired from Graham Hospital in 1972. She passed away on Febuary 25, 1993 of Colon Cancer in Peoria.
Pictures of both:
Children of Dean and Jeanne:
1. Willard Dean May was born July 7, 1941 in Canton. He died on November 27, 2007 in Canton. He was married twice. The second was my mother Susan Daniels who died last year in October 2019. They married June 8, 1973 in Peoria. He worked at the International Harvestor in Canton, Midland Coal mine at Trivoli for 16 years and Intermet Havana foundry from 1994 til 2004. He played Santa for kids for 50 years.
2. James Allen May was born in Febuary 1943 and died in 2018. He is buried like his brother near his parents and sister in Canton. He was a retired postal worker.
3. Janice Elizabeth May was born in 1947 and died on November 26, 1955. She is buried next to parents. She was raped and murdered in 1955 by a cab driver though its debated by some. While I think he did it I do awknowledge if DNA testing was a thing back then it would easily determine if he was or not.
Picture of Janice and articles on murder:
Pictures of Dean and Jeanne plus sons and obituary for Dean.
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