Jack Archie May, 82

Jack Archie May of Martin City passed away March 3, 2006, at the Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.

Jack was born Dec. 29, 1923, to Archie and Margaret May in Miles City.

Jack married Maxine Griffin on April 4, 1944, and he was drafted into the U.S. Army on April 18, 1944. He served with the 104th Infantry Division - the Timberwolves - and was in Africa, Germany, France and Italy. He was honorably discharged in June 1946.

After the war, Jack and Maxine resided in Miles City, and later moved to Martin City. Jack worked at the F, K & L Lumber Co. at Shannon Gravel running a crusher, and for the U.S. Forest Service, retiring in 1985. Upon retiring, Jack took up housekeeping and cooking, while Maxine worked at the U.S. post office in Columbia Falls.

Jack was an avid Agate hunter and dabbled in jewelry-making. He also had a great love for the outdoors, which included hunting, fishing, camping and looking at the stars. He loved to tell his grandkids of his childhood days - growing up with his brothers and the mischief they got into.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Archie and Margaret May; a sister, Dorothy, and her husband, Dick Kirkpatrick; brothers Bob, Glen and Bill May; an infant daughter, Judy Ann; and a son, John.

He is survived by his wife, Maxine May, of Martin City; a son, James, and his wife, Marilyn, of Ismay; sisters-in-law, Myrtle May of Biddle, and Pansy May of Miles City; daughter -in-law, Jody, and husband, Jimmy Lester, of Hungry Horse; grandsons, Melvin and his wife, Beth, of Billings, Matt and his fiancee, Beth, of Kinsey, Josh and his wife, Chantel, of Columbia Falls, Jake and his wife, Keyna, of Whitefish; granddaughters, Stacey and her husband, Todd Casey, of Spokane, Wash., Sarah and her husband, Jurgen Kuhr, of Laurel; and seven great-grandchildren, Rachel and Erica Casey, Connor and Elaine May, and Dalton, Harley, Paije and Yahtes May.

Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. today, March 6. Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls.

Burial will be afterward at Woodlawn Cemetery with military rites.

A luncheon will be held after the services at the Canyon Community Church in Coram.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice or to Canyon Community Church.