Dorothy I. (MacKay) May
Dorothy I.
(MacKay) May, 75, of Ipswich, died Sunday April 17, 2011 in the Beverly
Hospital as a result of complications from treatment of breast
cancer. She was the wife of the late Norman A. May.
Born in Ipswich
November 7, 1935 she was the daughter of the late Reginald and Dorothy
A. (Conant) MacKay. Upon graduation from Ipswich High School in 1953,
Dotty worked for the John Hancock Agency in Boston, while living on
Commonwealth Avenue. Soon after, she met and married Norman “Butch” May.
They held a beautiful and memorable wedding at Crane’s Castle.
Dotty had a love
of the ocean and, with Butch, purchased their first home on Plum Island
where they started a family. Many memories were cast here with friends
and family—camping, fishing, and enjoying the beach. Dotty also spent
many happy times in Alton Bay, NH, and with friends and relatives in
Maine.
Eventually moving
back to Ipswich, the Old Right Road homestead was a labor of love for
Dotty and Butch. Sadly, Butch passed away in 1985, but Dotty never
ceased to provide strength and stability for her daughters. Dotty worked
for Salter during this time and will be remembered by many as “Mrs.
May”, their smiling school bus driver. More recently, she worked at
Southside Greenhouses.
Dotty loved all
animals, gardening and nature, and was an avid sports fan. She
especially loved watching her New England Patriots with her cat
“Bledsoe”.
Dotty will be
remembered most for her unselfish desire to help and care for others.
She dedicated her life to her family, her mother Dorothy, and most
recently as a special Grammy to her grandchildren and grandpets. Her IHS
yearbook described her as, “cute and vivacious Dotty—with a sparkling
sense of humor”. Her friends and family can attest to her thoughtful and
charming personality. Above all, she loved making others happy. Her
giving and loving spirit will be sorely missed and remembered by all.
She is survived by
two daughters, Rebecca May and Suzanne (May) Herron and her husband Tom;
her beloved grandchildren, Tommy and Hannah Herron all of Ipswich; a
sister, Kathleen (MacKay) Lifman and her husband Frank of FL, and many
nieces and nephews. She was the sister of the late Barbara (MacKay)
Brewer, Robert MacKay, and Judith MacKay.
A memorial service in celebration of
Dotty’s life will be held Saturday, April 30th, at 11:00 am at the First
Church in Ipswich, Meetinghouse Green, Ipswich. Family and friends are
respectfully welcomed. Arrangements are under the direction of the
Whittier-Porter Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers donations can be made
to The Ipswich Humane Group, 17 Fowler’s Lane, Ipswich, MA 01938 or the
Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215-5450.
