MAY, Fred Joseph 1917-2015

MAY, HACKENMILLER, SMITH

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 10/27/2015 at 22:28:03

Fred Joseph May, 98, died Saturday, October 24, 2015.

He was born April 7, 1917, in Meyer, Iowa, to Henry J. and Anna M. (Hackenmiller) May, and attended school at Meyer. After school, he worked on various farms as hired help, including hand-picking corn, which he enjoyed. In winter, many farmers did not need extra help, and then he saw an ad in a farm paper and went to work on a farm near Harvey, North Dakota, for the winter months. He thought that was a great experience and met nice people.

On October 4, 1944, he married Dorothy Smith at St. Johns Catholic Church in Johnsburg, Minnesota. In March 1945, they moved to their farm in the Rose Creek area, where they raised their three sons and farmed until the fall of 1980 when he retired and moved to Rose Creek. His son Bryan moved onto the family farm and Fred continued to go to the farm helping with the spring planting, driving the bailer and unloading corn during the fall harvest. During the summer, he went to the farm every day and continued that until he was 90. He had a love for the land and soil.

Fred was a member of St. Peters Church in Rose Creek, serving as Eucharistic Minister for 17 years, and also as an usher for many years. He was a member of the Farmers Union and National Farmers Organization. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, Adams Council 3812, serving as Grand Knight. He was a fourth degree Knight of the Jean Pierre Aluneau Assembly of Austin, serving as Faithful Navigator and then as Faithful Comptroller for 21 years. He was proud to be an Honorary Life member of the KC’s.

Fred is survived by his wife of 71 years, Dorothy; and three sons: Gaylord (Mary Kay), Bloomington, Darrell (Dora), Savage, and Bryan (Pam), Rose Creek. He also is survived by nine grandchildren, six step-grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren, 25 great-step-grandchildren; and one great-great-step-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his parents Henry and Anna May; and his siblings: Bernard, Dorothy, Edmund, Betty, Olivia, Tony, Clement, Evelyn, Sister Margaret, and Pete.

He will be greatly missed by his family, which he loved with a kind heart and a smile for everyone.

A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church with Father Swaminatha Pothireddy officiating. Interment will be at St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be at the Adams Funeral Home on Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. where there will be a 4 p.m. Knights of Columbus Rosary and a 6:30 p.m. prayer service. Visitation will also be at the church on Thursday morning for one hour before the service.

Source: Austin Daily (Minn.) Herald, 27 OCT 2015