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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of James Clair May, who passed away on
4January 16, 2016; and
 
5    WHEREAS, James May was born in Richmond to Charles and
6Julia May on December 15, 1929; he graduated from Richmond
7Burton Community High School in 1947, where he was involved in
8many school activities, including Student Class Council
9President and Captain of the 1946 undefeated Southern Regional
10Conference Champion "Raiders" 7-man football team; he attended
11the University of Illinois, where he graduated in 1951 with a
12degree in architecture; after college, he enlisted in the
13United States Air Force and served as a 2nd Lieutenant
14stationed in Minnesota; he married Mary E. Bruce in January of
151953; and
 
16    WHEREAS, James May and his family moved to Plainfield in
171956 and he started work with Huber, Hunt and Nichols; his
18career started with the construction of Memorial Stadium at
19Illinois University; he went on to become the President of
20Huber, Hunt and Nichols, later known as the Hunt Construction
21Group in 1976; during his career, he oversaw the construction
22of some of the country's most well-known structures, including
23Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Riverfront Stadium in

 

 

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1Cincinnati, the Superdome in New Orleans, and Rupp Arena in
2Lexington, Kentucky; locally, he was involved in the
3construction of Market Square Arena, the AUL Building, Bank One
4Tower, the City County Building, and the Hoosier Dome; he was
5also a former President of the Associated General Contractors
6of Indiana; he later formed May and Associates, where he was
7involved with building the Indiana Government Center in
8Indianapolis, Indiana; he spent several years with F. A.
9Wilhelm Construction before retiring in 1996; he went on to
10join HG Properties and built the Twin Bridges Golf Course in
11Danville, Indiana; later, he went on to manage the golf course
12at his alma mater, the University of Illinois; and
 
13    WHEREAS, James May and his family were actively involved
14with St. Susanna Catholic Church and the Plainfield Elks Club;
15and
 
16    WHEREAS, James May was preceded in death by his loving
17wife, Mary; his son and daughter-in-law, Bruce and Marlana May;
18his parents, Charles and Julia May; and his brothers, Charles,
19Robert and Richie May; and
 
20    WHEREAS, James May is survived by his sister, Mary Anne
21(Larry Gaylord); his sisters-in-law, Margaret and Maxine May;
22his son, Robert (America) May; his daughter, Linda (Jim)
23Rinehart; his son, Douglas (Rebecca) May; his daughter, Barbara

 

 

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1(Alan) Toliver; his daughter, Patricia (Jeffery) Smeathers;
2and his son, Thomas May; his grandchildren, Stephanie (John)
3Marshall, Wyatt and Elliott May, Robert and Gloria May, James
4(Shannon) Rinehart, Darcy Rinehart, Mitch Rinehart, Ryan
5(Shawna) May, Stuart Toliver, Michelle Toliver, Anne (Glenn)
6Toliver-Pratt, Grant Toliver, Jason Smeathers, Andrew
7Smeathers, and Madison Smeathers; and his great-grandchildren,
8Matthew, Alyssa Isabella, Aleene, James, Emery, and Sarah;
9therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
12James Clair May, and extend our sincere condolences to his
13family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
14further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to the family of James May as an expression of our
17deepest sympathy.