Victor May, Sr.

Life's Journey Victor Tyrone May, Sr. Victor Tyrone May was born on January 3, 1968, to Albert and Carrie May. He was the youngest of five children. As a child, Victor attended Phillips and Ashley Elementary schools, Hamilton Jr. High School and he graduated from George Washington High School in 1986. During his childhood Victor was very active in little league football. He was a standout player for the Falcons in Park Hill. In fact, he was such a good player, sometimes parents for the opposing teams would question his age and whether he should be playing against their children. His mother's calm response was always, "It's not my fault I got a lobster and ya'll got shrimp." He didn't excel at all sports however. Victor once ran track and decided that he wanted to run the 440 yard distance. At the starter's pistol, he took off like greased lightning and left the crowd in the dust. They caught him at about the 220 yard mark….the poor little fellow just ran out of gas. As Victor tried to stagger, tearfully, around the track his dad just smiled and said "Well, that's my boy. I better go get him." Victor was also very mechanically inclined. From a very young age he was always trying to fix something up or taking something apart (like the time he dismantled his sister's bike and sold it for parts). Still, his mechanical talent came in handy when he ran his own trucking company for a time with his wife, Shani. His grandchildren always talk about "Papa Victor's" trucks and how they loved to ride in them. According to Shani, "Victor was the most ambitious man I've ever known in my life! He was always trying to make a better life for us. His heart was bigger than the rest of him. He was a loving family man, an excellent provider, and a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, uncle, grandpa and coach. In addition to all of that I am awed by the bond of brotherhood he shared with so many of his childhood friends. It is inspiring to that he was able to grow from a boy into a man with such a close knit and loyal group of friends. I want you all to know that your love and support gave Victor the strength to be strong for me and his beloved parents. For that, I will be forever grateful." Victor comes from a very close knit family and he grew up during a time when neighbors really knew and looked out for one another. The May house was always full of neighborhood children and Victor, quite the charmer, maintained close friendships with many of those children over the past 40-plus years through the final day of his life. When Victor was about 14 years old he was diagnosed with cancer. He was very sick for a long time and these friends were right there with him, supporting and encouraging him every step of the way. When all of his hair fell out from the treatment, they all shaved their heads in solidarity (no small matter during the 80's). And when Victor was on the final leg of his journey in this life two them, Teddy and Alan, went to Kansas City to remind him that they still had his back while Willie rallied the troops back home. This is the kind of friendship Victor inspired and he loved them as much as they loved him. Many of them are here with us today and we cannot adequately express what your love, kindness and devotion has meant to our family. Victor was our amazing, aggravating, one of kind, infuriating, masterpiece baby brother. He was truly special. He could provoke us into wanting to kick him around like a football. But, at the same time, no one else could bother him. There were many times that Victor, although he was bigger than his most of his classmates, would find his two older sisters, Lady and Letta, waiting at the bus stop after school…. just in case. He was also a daredevil. When Victor decided that he wanted to jump off the high diving board at Skyland swimming pool (and he could barely swim), Albert waited on one side of pool, while Floyd waited on the other….just in case. Victor loved to have fun and could brighten up anybody's day. He was also the biggest ham. A few years ago, Albert and Carrie celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. All of the children got together and decided to perform a musical routine for their parents. Each child took a song from the year of their birth to perform. Victor's song was Sam and Dave's "I Thank You!" Well, it was a mistake to let Victor go first. After he got through hamming it up with his bad lip synching, and spastic dancing, the rest of us could barely function for all the laughing but we had a ball! Known as Poobie, Vic, Daddy Victor and Papa Victor, he stood head and shoulders above the rest. He was the "baby" in the family (baby brother, baby cousin, and youngest grandchild) but he has left an indelible impression on us all. Albert, Sr. and Carrie named their youngest son, their baby boy, Victor as a reflection for him to always be victorious. That is exactly what he was, VICTORIOUS! Anything he set his mind to do, he did it. Victor passed from this life on April 12, 2013 after a valiant struggle with an anaplastic astrocytoma in the pons, a rare, inoperable cancer of the brain stem. However, he was determined not to let this infirmity defeat him. Because of his bravery and amazing grace in the face of imminent death, he remains victorious. Victor humbly, courageously and generously donated his brain tissue to the University of Kansas' Medical Center's Department of Neurology for medical research. This donation will help physicians better understand this rare condition and, hopefully, develop successful treatment options for people affected by this disorder. His treating physician was deeply moved and grateful for Victor's contribution to medical science. As his family, we stand in awe of his generosity and his refusal to give up without a fight. We are incredibly proud of him and are blessed to have had him as a part of our lives! He was truly God Approved. Victor married; Darla Fields on July 17, 1987, to this union was born Victor, Jr. and Vincent Jerome. After the dissolution of this marriage, he became the father of Victoria Simone and Tyler Vaughn. On February 14, 2007, Victor married Shani Govan and became the proud step-father of Fatimah, Shay Celeste, John Kenneth, Jr., and Micah Charles. Victor Tyrone May, Sr. departed this life to the embrace of the Lord on April 12, 2013, in Topeka, Kansas. Those left to cherish his memory and mourn his loss include his wife, Shani May, Plattsburg, MO; parents, Albert and Carrie May, Sr., Denver.; brothers, Albert (Arlette) May, Houston, TX, Floyd E. May, Denver, CO; his sisters, Kathleen (Alfred) Getter, Atchison, KS, Carletta (Rodney) King, Denver, CO; his children, Victor T. (Ruth), May, Jr., Vincent J (Britney) May, Sr., Victoria S. May and Tyler V. May all Denver; his step-children Fatimah Kitwanna, Shay'Celeste Martin both Denver, John K. Johnson, Jr., and Micah Johnson both, Suitland, MD; 10 grand children and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins other relatives and many, many friends. As Victor would always say, "Love you, bye!"

Visitation: 4/19/2013 at 4:00 PM - Pipkin Braswell Chapel of Peace - 6601 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO
Service: 4/20/2013 at 11:00 AM - Pipkin Braswell Chapel of Peace - 6601 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO
Cemetery: 4/20/2013 - Fairmount Cemetery - Denver, CO