JACOB (JACK) F. MAY JR Obituary (1928 - 2018)

Jacob F. (Jack) May, Jr., age 89, of San Mateo, California, died Sunday, September 30, 2018. Born December 31, 1928, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Jack was the first son of the late Jacob F. May, Sr. and Helen Jacobs May. The May family emigrated from Russia to St. Louis, Missouri in 1886. They later made their way to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, at the time of the oil boom of that era. Jack's father and uncles started a clothing store called May Brothers, which at one time had four stores across Oklahoma. The Bartlesville store was ultimately listed by the Oklahoma Historical Society as the oldest continuously operated retail establishment in the State. Jack was a nationally respected real estate lawyer and for most of his career a partner with the law firm of Spencer Fane Britt & Browne in Kansas City, Missouri. He represented a number of prominent real estate development and brokerage firms and other business clients both in Kansas City and nationally. Prior to joining Spencer Fane, he was a founding and managing partner at the law firm of Schnider, Shamburg & May, also in Kansas City. He was married to the late Janet Schnider May, also from Kansas City, from July 6,1957 until her untimely death in 1994. Janet's father, Charles S. Schnider, a pioneering trial attorney in Kansas and Missouri, was for Jack a loving father-in-law and law partner. Jack attended the University of Michigan where he earned a Business Administration degree in 1950. At Michigan, he was a proud member of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. He went on to earn his JD and LLB degrees from the University of Oklahoma Law School, where he graduated second in his class in 1953, was voted Order of the Coif, and was an editor of the law review. Following law school, Jack served as a First Lieutenant in the Judge Advocate General Corps of the United States Air Force, and was stationed at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. During his career, Jack was an active member of the Johnson County, Kansas and Kansas Bar Associations. He authored numerous law review articles for both the County and State Bar associations on both real estate and tax law. He was eventually elected to the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. Jack devoted charitable time to the Jewish Family and Children's Services in Kansas City. He was a member of The Temple, Congregation B'Nai Jehudah and Oakwood Country Club, and was on the boards of the Lyric Opera Guild and William Jewell College in Kansas City. Jack is survived by his two younger brothers: Mike May of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Larry May of Seattle, Washington. Jack is also survived by his two children: John May of St. Louis, Missouri and Kerry May Williams of Burlingame, California; four grandchildren: Kelsey Williams of Berkeley, California, Jake Williams of Burlingame, California, Hadley May and Matthew May of St Louis, Missouri; his son-in-law, Scott Williams of California, and daughter-in-law, Rebecca Glass May of St Louis, Missouri, and by his nephews, Mark May, of Los Angeles, California, Scott May of Atlanta, Georgia, Craig May of Denver, Colorado, William May of Seattle, Washington, and Chris May and Lisa May of Seattle, Washington. Jack is also survived by his dear friend Patricia Roberts Smith and many loving cousins and other relatives. Memorial services for Jack May will be held at 11:00 AM, Sunday, October 7, 2018, at Louis Memorial Chapel, 6830 Troost Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery south of the Chapel immediately following the service. Serving as pallbearers will be Mike May, Larry May, Mark May, Craig May, William May and Scott Williams. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the American Cancer Society.