Richard May

Richard Ronald May was born December 2, 1946 in a (once) little town called Naperville, Illinois. He was the youngest of 5 kids, and the apple of his mom's eye. He grew up in a small house ordered from the Sears catalog, getting into mischief and causing schoolboy trouble.

After high school he enlisted in the US Marine Corps, an affiliation he was deeply proud of for the rest of his life. As a member of the armed forces, he served in Vietnam, and after being stationed in Okinawa and meeting Joko Tamari, he volunteered for additional tours just so that he could be in the same hemisphere as her.

Richard started his family in Okinawa, where his oldest two kids, Sandie and Ronald were born. When he was later stationed in Santa Ana, his third child April was born. After being discharged, he moved the family to Illinois, then to Utah where Kenny, his fourth child was born, before finally settling down in San Jose, California. He worked primarily as a heavy equipment hauler, loading scissor lifts and booms onto trucks for delivery throughout the greater Bay Area. He was a military man through and through, so in the little spare time he had, he also served in the National Guard.

Rich worked tirelessly for his family, waking up at 4 am and returning home late in the evening every day of his working life. He did not take sick days. He frequently would come home for a quick dinner before heading out for a second shift of overnight driving to Fresno, dragging one of the boys along with him to help keep him awake. Week by week and bit by bit, he and his wife built a life for their family.

Somehow, he still managed to find the energy to coach Little League baseball as well. The family would spend entire Saturdays at Spartan Little League, often arriving before dawn so that Rich could chalk the diamond before games started, until after the last game so that he could groom the fields back into shape. And every Monday morning, he would be back at work before the sun came up.

As a Dad, he would throw the kids in the back of his truck and head to baseball games, fireworks, or to trick or treat in a neighborhood known to give out full-size candy bars. He would bring home scissor lifts and offer rides to the neighborhood kids. As a grandpa, he would walk the neighborhood with the babies in their strollers or later give them rides on his motorized scooter. "Jichan" took great delight in his grandkids' sporting events, driving to games and practices, and keeping track of how many points were scored.

In the later part of his working years, he was able to stop driving when he was offered the position of branch manager of Cresco’s Gilroy location. No position could have been more fitting as it allowed him to finally demonstrate his expertise culled from years of accumulated knowledge of the industry and his own personal values and work ethic. He earned respect and affection from clients and colleagues alike. He was deeply proud of his work.

Even after retirement, he kept busy maintaining his front and back yards, continuing to attend his grandkids’ sporting events, and taking twice-daily walks with his beloved companion, Chibi, greeting and catching up with the neighbors and their dogs. In his final years, he found joy in planning and taking day trips and making home improvements that he had always envisioned but previously delayed. He remained a fighter until his last day.

Rich could sometimes be grumpy, sarcastic and surly— he did not hesitate to make his opinions known! — but more than these things, he was loyal, kind, hard-working, loving, funny, and devoted. He leaves behind a profound legacy built moment by moment, job by job, and conversation by conversation. For all that he did, and for how he did it, we remember him with admiration, respect, and so much love. He truly was the best of men.

For you, Dad: Ooh-Rah!