Lorne May passed awaypeacefully at his home in Langley
on November 16, 2012. Predeceasedby his parents, wife Grace,
brothers Jerry, Mervin and Joe,brothers-in-law Merlin Waller and
Mel Bathgate, sisters-in-lawDoreen, Marion and nephew
Kevin. Lorne will be forevermissed by his sons Doug (Carol),
Steven and Gordon, his grandchildrenLiam, Kristoffer, Erin,
Lisa, Carrie-Ann, Melodie and Billy and great grandchildren
Zachary, Leeland, Kaleb, Karter, Hunter and Lucas. He also leaves
behind his sisters Ruth Bathgate and Elaine Waller, his brothers
Don and Orv and his sisters-in-law Dorothy and Gloria.
Lorne was the eldest of eight children, born November 7, 1927, to
Harold (Hurly) and Loretta (Lett) May of Marquis, Saskatchewan.
He farmed with his family until he headed out West to Vancouver
in 1943 at the age of 16 and returning to Marquis for thrashing
season each summer. He met the love of his life Grace, in Moose
Jaw. When Grace and parents moved to the Vancouver area they
eventually married in 1949 and settled in Vancouver. During his
time in Vancouver Lorne had a varied career in marine and electrical
related industries, working for a coastal cruise line, serving
time at Burrard dry dock during the war, was a fishing boat owner
operator, worked for a couple of marine mechanical/electrical support
companies. He became an independent business owner in
1958 started his first marine electrical contract and service company
May Marine Electric Ltd, which he successfully ran for 17
years. Eventually selling his company to a major shipyard he took
a 5 year break as a business owner and managed the company until
1979 at which time he went into partnership with his son Doug to
open another marine-electrical business, Van-Mar Electric Ltd.
Family was very important to Lorne and he frequently returned to
Moose Jaw most recently in 2010 for the 100th Anniversary of
Marquis. Lorne loved his grandchildren and great grandchildren, he spent
many hours with them reading, drawing, riding bikes, shooting bb
guns, but most of all showing them how to have fun!
Upon retiring Lorne kept busy working on his property in Surrey
and trying to take time on his boat as some of us know was difficult
as there was always the bulldozer to repair, a hole to dig or another
tree to cut down. He never really retired just moved on to
other things. A respected businessman, avid sailor, father, grandfather, great grandfather brother and friend, Lorne will be missed by those who
have had the privilege to know him.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday November 24th at 2:00 p.m. from the Forest Lawn Funeral Chapel, 3789 Royal Oak Avenue (at Canada Way) in Burnaby. Burial to follow within the cemetery grounds.