Bruce May, 78

Bruce May, 78, died April 23, 2015.

He was born March 27, 1937, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Bernard May and Ruth Scheuman May. He graduated from Western Hills High School and attended Ohio Wesleyan University on a football scholarship. After serving in the U.S. Army from February 1958 through 1960, he graduated with a zoology degree from Ohio State University in 1963. This was followed by a master’s degree in aquatic biology from Ohio State University in 1966.

Bruce married Carol Figaretti in 1963. His first fisheries biologist job was in North Carolina. In 1969, he landed his dream job as a fisheries biologist for the state of Montana working on the Kootenai River before and after the Libby Dam was constructed. Bruce and Carol divorced in 1978. The Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks moved Bruce to Kalispell in 1982 to conduct the fisheries study for Hungry Horse Reservoir.

Bruce met Elaine Snyder in 1985 and they were married in 1989. Bruce took early retirement in 1990 which meant gardening, hunting, fishing, cross country skiing, hiking and backpacking into high mountain lakes to fish with Elaine or friends.  

Bruce was also an avid volunteer. This included acting as Flathead Democratic precinct person and county chairman from 1994 to 1995 and serving on the boards of Flathead Wildlife and the Flathead Chapter of the Montana Wilderness Association. He wrote numerous letters to the editor on topics from wilderness and timber harvest to human rights.

Bruce loved wild Montana and defended it. In 1977 and 1978, Bruce was subpoenaed to testify on behalf of fish in Federal District Court in Butte. Bruce was an expert witness for the Libby Rod & Gun Club in their suit against the Army Corps of Engineers attempt to re-regulate Libby Dam. He also lobbied and testified in Washington, D.C., to stop the proposed Kootenai Falls Dam. The free flowing Kootenai Falls exists today due to the efforts of Bruce and the Libby Rod and Gun Club.

Bruce was diagnosed with dementia in 2009 and suffered a stroke in 2011. Since July 2014, he had resided at Edgewood Vista Assisted Living with hospice care this last month.

Bruce was preceded in death by his parents and several faithful dogs.

He is survived by his wife, Elaine Snyder; sisters, Connie and Wes of Cincinnati, Susan and Joe of Wesley Chapel, Florida, and Mary Ann and Larry of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; several nieces and nephews; stepdaughter, Gina, of Libby, grandchildren, Darby and Carson; along with Elaine’s three brothers and two sisters.

In lieu of flowers, send donations in Bruce May’s name to the Nature Conservancy of Montana, 32 South Ewing, Helena, MT 59601.

Cremation has taken place.

A celebration of Bruce’s life will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 7, at the Whitefish Community Center, 121 2nd Street, Whitefish. Bring a potluck dish and your stories to share.

Friends are encouraged to visit the website, www.buffalohillfh.com, to leave notes of condolence for the family. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.