Gladys J. May-Johnston

Gladys Josephine Czechowicz May-Johnston, 90, passed away April 22, 2013 with her family at her bedside. Gladys was born on her parents’ farm in New York Mills, NY on October 28, 1922, one of 6 children of Jan and Roselie Czechowicz, who immigrated to the USA from Poland in 1913. As with many immigrants in New York Mills, both parents worked in the textile mills and lived in company housing. At the time of the Great Depression, the family took their entire savings and bought a small farm on Paris Hill to live off the land. Gladys grew-up on the farm and helped with the daily farm tasks along with her siblings. As a child, she attended St. Mary’s Church and School in New York Mills, and graduated from Waterville High School in 1937. After WWII, Gladys met and fell in love with George May of Utica, NY. Before their wedding in 1948, George built a home for them to begin their married lives together in Utica. In 1949, they had a son, Michael. Daughter Maureen was born in 1951. In 1958, due to the harsh upstate NY winters’ effect on George’s building business, the family relocated to San Diego. George’s business eventually led the family to San Ramon in 1960. In 1976, George and Gladys moved to Auburn where they would eventually retire. Gladys devoted herself to her family and did not work outside the home until her children had graduated from high school. In 1975, Gladys earned her real estate license and enjoyed a successful career with Century 21 both in San Ramon and Auburn. Gladys and George were quite a team working together in the housing industry for many years whereby Gladys listed and sold George’s custom built homes. They enjoyed 50 years together happily married until George’s passing in1999. In 2002, Gladys married James Johnston. They lived comfortably in Auburn up until the onset of Gladys’ illness in January 2013.

During her lifetime, Gladys loved her family and always put them first in her life. She enjoyed playing piano, golf, bowling, gardening, exercising and sewing. She took great pride in decorating and maintaining her home. She was an active member of St. Raymond’s Catholic Women’s Club during the years in San Ramon. In Auburn, she attended services at St. Joseph Catholic Church and did volunteer work with the Sisters of Mercy. She was devoted to her faith and participated in activities of the Catholic Church as much as possible.

During Gladys’ life, she lived in New York Mills, Utica, San Diego, El Cajon, Dublin, San Ramon, Lake of the Pines and Auburn.

Survivors include daughter Maureen Zekman, granddaughter Michelle Zekman; sister Julia McFaul, niece Jeanette Baumgartner, many nieces and nephews and husband James Johnston.

Gladys was predeceased by her parents Jan and Roselie, husband George May, son Michael May, sisters Anna Ward, Violet Pecoraro, Helen Carzo, Frances Baker, brother Walter Check and great niece Heidi Baumgartner.

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Therese and Bud Lancaster and the staff at Auburn Creekside Villa who provided loving and compassionate care during Gladys’ final weeks, days and hours of life. Services will be held at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Auburn on Tuesday, April 30th at 10 AM followed by burial at New Auburn Cemetery.