Mary "Markie" Martha May

Mary Martha “Markie” Hamman May, born on December 23, 1922, in Williamsport, Ohio, passed away peacefully on July 18, 2024, in Circleville. For nearly 50 years, she and her beloved husband Roger enjoyed spending their winters in Vero Beach,Florida.

Markie was preceded in death by her husband Roger H. May, her daughters Valerie (Richard) Steinau and Nancy (Thomas) McDonald, and her son-in-law, Thomas McDonald. She is survived by her daughters Shelley (Roger) Rittenhouse of Pleasanton, CA and Laurie (Matthew) Bell of Lathrup Village, MI; her son-in-law, Richard Steinau of Cincinnati, OH; her grandchildren, Thomas “TR” (Christy) McDonald, Jonathan (Cheresa) McDonald, Peter (Johanna) Steinau, Jay Steinau, Lindsey Rittenhouse (Mark) Lesar, Kristen Rittenhouse (James) Yokel, Eric (Brittany) Bell, Evan (Paige Picard) Bell, Natalie Bell; and her nine great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Patricia “Patty” Moore and many nieces and nephews, who were like additional children to her.

Markie graduated from Atlanta High School, attended Ohio Wesleyan University and graduated from The Ohio State University with a major in Fine Arts. She was a proud member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She also took great pride in her family's service to this country in almost every generation and was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Throughout her life, Markie was dedicated to supporting children. She was a long-time 4-H Club Leader, an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church and later, Community United Methodist Church, a member of AAUW and the Child Conservation League. Her passion for youth programs was exhibited in all organizations.

Art was her true passion. Markie was a talented artist across various media and in mid-life, was recruited to develop an art curriculum and start an art program in the elementary schools of the Logan Elm School District, prompting her to return to college at Capital University to earn a teaching certificate. She traveled between schools and later collaborated to implement a high school program. She also established the Art Goes to School Foundation, which provides an annual stipend to the Westfall Schools’ art program in perpetuity.

In a different extension of her love for all forms of art, Markie became a member in 1970 of the newly formed Scioto Society that took the internationally acclaimed outdoor drama “Tecumseh” from an idea to a successful drama that has played to full houses each summer for over 50 years.

Despite her many achievements, Markie’s greatest source of pride was raising her four daughters with Roger on their family farm. Markie cherished caring for the land and her garden. She took great joy in her family’s love of returning and gathering there for decades. As her family grew, she delighted in hearing about the lives of her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Carolyn and John Canter for caring for and making Markie part of their family in recent years, as well as to the staff at Wyngate Senior Living and Heartland Hospice for their compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Mary Hamman May Art Goes to School Fund c/o Pickaway County Community Foundation at 770 N. Court Street, Circleville, OH 43113.