McCasland and Ruth Aline Douglass McCasland on October 18, 1932 in Houston, Texas.
She attended public schools in Houston and graduated from Reagan High School. She worked
in the insurance industry for many years. She also worked part time for Foley's Department
Store, and as an usher in the downtown Theatre District. As a reslt of the many years she
worked at Foley’s, she had a monthly lunch with the “Foleys Girls”. May retired from Trans
American Occidental Life Insurance as an Office Manager.
May was baptized at the Garden Oaks Church of Christ at the tender age of 14. For seventy
plus years she served in many capacities at this congregation. She was extremely generous to
the Garden Oaks family and made regular donations to special church projects; including, but
not limited to the Tegucigalpa Mission work, camp fees for kids, Life Line Chaplaincy, and
Southwestern Christian College. May was actively involved with the Wise Owls at Garden Oaks
since its inception over 20 years ago. She participated in funding and supporting all
their activities, including day trips, meetings, dinners, and purchasing food for the Food Pantry
Ministry. She was the first to use electronic media (emails) to keep the congregation informed
of church news. Her total commitment and love for Garden Oaks earned her the title of
"Mama May".
May married Ralph W. Engelhardt on August 4, 1990. They enjoyed traveling the continental
United States as well as abroad. Their last trip together to the Panama Canal completed
Ralph's 'bucket list' before his death in December 2004. They loved animals and were the
proud pet parents of several dogs.
May was preceded in death by her parents John and Ruth McCasland; two brothers, John
Douglass and Andrew Travis McCasland; one sister Mary Elizabeth Bailey; two nephews Leslie
McCasland, and Joe Bailey; and her beloved husband Ralph W. Engelhardt.
She leaves to cherish her memories two nieces Patricia Hatfield (Autry) of Hope, AR and DeAlva
Engelhardt (Henry) of Conroe, TX; four nephews Bill Jezek (Cathy) of Arlington, Texas, John D.
McCasland (Jean) of Goodlettsville, TN, Travis Bailey (Rhonda) of Little Rock, AR, and John S.
McCasland of Shepherd, TX; her special adopted children Marsha K. Safley (Lee) and Alford
Powers (Jelka), both of Houston, TX; other extended family members, close friends and church
family.
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