John Clark May ’56

At Princeton, John May roomed with Frank Peabody, Bevis Longstreth, and John Butsch, sharing a suite in ’79 Hall with Jack Fritts, Slade Mills, and John Hill Wilson.  

John trained in medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, served as an Army captain, and, returning to his hometown of Lancaster, Pa., developed a highly successful practice in obstetrics and gynecology.

Along the way he married Edith Zimmerman, and together they raised four children. He died June 22, 2010, just shy of his 49th wedding anniversary.

John’s contributions to medicine and his community took multiple channels and received much recognition and many awards. These landmarks define a life of high purpose and accomplishment, one to which we all could aspire. But like most epitaphs, they fall short in defining the man in full.  

John could be counted on to light a candle rather than curse the darkness. Not once or twice, but always. He was a natural leader who didn’t need to push others aside to be recognized. He was given to kindness and loyalty to those lucky enough to be his friends. And, above all, he shared with Cyrano de Bergerac that panache blanc of integrity, which, sans nez, he wore throughout his life.