James Royce May
Services will be 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, at White-Ranson Funeral Home. Burial will take place afterwards in Rutherford Cemetery, with full military honors to follow.
The family will receive friends Saturday, Dec. 10, from 4-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Pallbearers will be Cody Reed, Hunter Reed, Kolton May, Cameron May, Larry Jimmerson and Johnny Fowler.
He was born Nov. 1, 1937, in Gibson County, son of the late Willie Claude and Lura V. (McCaleb) May. He married the former Gloria Bishop Oct. 24, 1956. She died June 6, 2012.
He was a member of the former Community Church of Christ in Union City and had served as an elder there from 1989 to 2014.
James attended public schools at Mason Hall, graduating in 1955. After attending Freed-Hardeman College, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Georgia before transferring to Korea in 1958.
After returning from Korea in 1959, he served with the Seventh Cavalry at Fort Benning, Ga., until 1961, when he was transferred to the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C. There he served as personnel advisor to all civilian employees who were Army Reserve Commissioned Officers.
Receiving a direct commission to second lieutenant from SFC (E7) in February 1965, he was transferred to the U.S. Southern Command, Fort Amador, Canal Zone, Republic of Panama. There he served as the Armed Forces Courier Officer and Adjutant of Headquarters, U.S. Southern Command, Quarry Heights, Canal Zone, Republic of Panama.
In 1968, he was transferred to U.S. Army First Logistic Command in DaNang, Vietnam, serving as Chief Administrative Services Division, First Log Command, DaNang.
He transferred to the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C., in 1970, after attending the Adjutant General Officers Advanced Course at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana.
He served in the Defense Intelligence Agency until his retirement in August 1976 at the rank of major, having received, among other awards and honors, the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Joint Services Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the U.S. Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Meritorious Unit Campaign Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.
He returned to Obion County and, for 29 years, was the owner/operator of United Monument Works.
He is survived by four children and their spouses, Rick and Sherry May of Chattanooga, Claudia Reed of Jackson, Jim and Devona May of Paris and Wes and Brandy May of Spring Hill; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and his special friend, Emily Jenkins of Union City.
He was also preceded in death by his son-in-law, Ken Reed; and his brother, Johnny “Buddy” May.
The family requests that, in memory of James’ humorous outlook on life, friends should feel free to make contributions, as he had requested and according to his wishes, to whomever might have been running against Clinton in 2016. Since his death occurred after the election, the family asks that contributions be made, instead, to the Tennessee Children’s Home, West Tennessee campus, 170 Frank Latham Road, Pinson, TN 38366.
Condolences may be sent to the family at the funeral home website: www.white-ranson.com.