Martha Loretta May

Funeral Services for Martha Loretta May, age 86, formerly of Abilene, Texas (recently residing in Tyler, Texas) are scheduled for 10 am, Wednesday, October 25, 2017 in the chapel of Lloyd James Funeral Home with Lon Jones officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Memorial Park in Abilene, Texas at 2 pm, Thursday, October 26, 2017.Mrs. May passed away in her home on October 21, 2017 in Tyler, Texas.

Martha was born on September 15, 1931 in Grannis, Arkansas to the late James Eastman Taylor and Bessie Suits-Taylor.

Martha was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She worked as a medical transcriptionist for many years in Houston and Fort Worth. She and her late husband kept their grandchildren all through their childhoods ensuring that they were always surrounded by love and good food. She loved to cook and search out new and wonderful recipes to prepare for her family. She was a life-long member of the Church of Christ. She taught the ladies quilting bible class at Highland Church of Christ for many years in Abilene. She was a life-long learner and even though she herself did not have a college degree, she was an avid reader and a student of life assisting and preparing her children and grandchildren to rise to higher levels of education including Masters and Doctoral degrees.

She had a gentle way with people, was a skilled listener with compassionate loving arms ready to embrace anyone in pain but also had a keen sense of humor with impeccable timing. She was an intuitive artist, her mediums were cross-stitching, quilting, crocheting and sewing which won her awards at the local craft fairs. She made prom dresses and even wedding dresses for her children and grand-children, which somehow magically turned out perfect even when she left the pattern. She herself, also did not fit any pattern and there will never be another like her.

She is survived by her children Louis May (and wife Marsha) of Harper, Texas, Lori Jones (and husband Stan) of Tyler, Texas, as well as grandchildren Cassandra May Sanders of Dallas, Texas, Leah Knippel (and husband Paul) of Frisco, Texas, Kelsey Wiggs (and husband Michael) of Tyler, Texas, and Cole Jones (and wife Crystal) of Seattle, Washington as well as eight great-grandchildren: Alexandra Sanders, Fallon Sanders, Wren Knippel, Willow Knippel, Parker Wiggs, Penelope Wiggs, Samuel Knippel and Joss Jones. She is survived by her niece Marion Volkerding and sister-in-law Brownie Tune.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Louis Oren May, daughter Loyce Wilson and sister Chloe McFarland.

Pallbearers for the funeral services will be Stanley Jones, Cole Jones, Paul Knippel and Michael Wiggs.

The family will receive friends for visitation from 6-8 pm, Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at Lloyd James Funeral Home in Tyler.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Samaritan's Purse, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or rescuetheanimals.org.