John Alan May, Sr. – husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend – passed away peacefully on August 29, 2025, in Houston, Texas, surrounded by his wife, his children, and the prayers of so many family members and friends in his final moments – a testament to the legacy of love and family he leaves behind.

Born in Freeport, Texas, on May 10, 1947, to James Aubrey May, Sr. and June Edwina (DeLine) May, John was a lifelong resident of Lake Jackson, Texas. Though he lived in Midland, Michigan, for a brief time, he loved Lake Jackson so much that he often denied he graduated from Midland High School – choosing instead to only acknowledge his status as one of the proudest members of the famous Brazosport High School Class of ’65.

A lover of bringing family together and connecting with friends – whether he saw them nearly every day or hadn’t seen you in 40 years, he was always the quiet life of the party. He loved snow-skiing and believing he was still faster than his children. He loved doing jigsaw puzzles and playing card games – and he would have been happy if he could eat cheese enchiladas every day of his life. (Here’s hoping there’s an El Chico in Heaven!) John had the best and maybe longest prayers that made many Thanksgiving meals cold; was thoroughly invested in television shows such as The Curse of Oak Island; and often did his best yard work in the fanciest of dress shoes. He also loved giving boat tours of the lake behind his house and cherished his role as Papa John to all of his grandchildren.

After attending TCU (Riff, Ram, Bah, Zoo!), he spent his professional career as a general contractor – often sharing his talent as an incredible craftsman with those he knew and loved through endless projects. He had an unmatched ability to see possibilities that no one else could even fathom when it came to reimagining and transforming spaces – from his homes in Lake Jackson and Ruidoso, New Mexico, to the restoration of the Alden Dow Museum in Lake Jackson, to custom cabinet projects for friends and countless commercial projects for brands such as Laura Ashley and Bulgari.

John was preceded in death by his parents, brother Jim, brother-in-law Terry Smith, and his dog Pecos. He is survived by his wife Millicent (Mimi) Valek; his daughter Jennifer May Meyer (Craig), son John Alan May, Jr. (Jeni), and stepson Michael Valek (Angela); grandchildren Josephine and James Tucker Meyer, Camden and Jackson May, and Ava and Ella Valek; sisters Becky Smith and Ione Magsig (Dave); sister-in-law Jane May and brother-in-law Larry Moerbe (Christi); and numerous nieces and nephews, cousins, extended family, and a community of friends unlike any other that he forged as a child and who became lifelong best friends. His sweet dog Maggie May and cat Keesha miss him as much as the rest of us.

A memorial service will be held at ten o’clock in the morning on Friday, September 12 at Restwood Funeral Home (1038 W. Plantation Drive, Clute, Texas), with visitation the evening prior on Thursday, September 11 from five to seven o’clock.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the John May and Millicent Valek scholarship fund at the Brazosport College Foundation or to a charity of your choice.

We were all so lucky to have been loved by John May, and – in his honor – the family asks that you plan a special family gathering or reach out to a friend you haven’t talked to in decades. Nothing would make him prouder.