May Elizabeth Willhite

A LIFE CELEBRATION PARTY MAY ELIZABETH WILLHITE 1910- 2007 MAY WAS BORN IN EAST LIVERPOOL, OHIO, ON OCTOBER 5, 1910, TO JOHN AND ANNA MCCANDLESS. SHE MOVED FROM OHIO TO SANTA BARBARA WHEN SHE WAS FIVE YEARS OLD. THE FAMILY ARRIVED BY TRAIN AND SETTLED INTO THEIR HOME IN THE VALERIO-SAN ANDRES NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE RELATIVES AND FRIENDS LIVED. MAY OFTEN SHARED MEMORIES OF HER WONDERFUL CHILDHOOD-GROWING UP WITH HER SISTERS FRANCES, KATHLEEN, AND MARION-BROTHERS JIM, ORVILLE, AND GRAHAM, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THEIR LOVING PARENTS. MAY ATTENDED WILSON AND WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, SANTA BARBARA JUNIOR HIGH, AND GRADUATED FROM SANTA BARBARA HIGH SCHOOL IN 1929. SHE THEN ELOPED AND MARRIED HER HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART, LEWIS WILLHITE. MAY AND LEWIS HAD TWO CHILDREN, ROGER AND SUSAN. IN 1948, MAY LOST HER DEAR HUSBAND, LEWIS, AND RAISED ROGER AND SUSAN ON HER OWN. SHE WORKED AT VARIOUS PLACES LOCALLY-THE SANTA BARBARA MEDICAL CLINIC, AND IN THE OFFICE AT SANTA BARBARA HIGH SCHOOL. SHE LIKED HER WORK AND MADE MANY GOOD FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY. MAY EXPERIENCED A MAJOR SANTA BARBARA EVENT IN THE EARTHQUAKE ON JUNE 29, 1925, AND LOVES TO TELL INTERESTING STORIES ABOUT WHAT WENT ON IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD DURING THAT TRAUMATIC TIME. AT AGE 101, MAY STILL ENJOYED THE CROSSWORD PUZZLE IN THE NEWSPAPER EVERY DAY. SHE LOVED TO ATTEND THE MONTHLY BIRTHDAY PARTIES AT PILGRIM TERRACE CENTER-TO DANCE, SING, ENJOY MEALS, AND VISIT WITH FRIENDS. SHE DELIGHTED IN THE VIEW FROM HER RECLINER ON THE PATIO, WHERE SHE COULD WATCH THE BIRDS COME AND GO. SHE LOVED TO READ, KNIT, WRITE STORIES, AND GO OUT FOR LUNCH. MAY CHERISHED HER CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH HER GRANDCHILDREN, NIECES, AND NEPHEWS. IN RETURN, SHE WAS LOVED BY ALL OF THEM. A MEMBER OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ON STATE STREET, SHE HAS APPRECIATED THE SERVICES AND SPECIAL EVENTS THERE. MAY WAS A STRONG, REMARKABLE WOMAN. SHE HAD A POSITIVE, CAN-DO ATTITUDE ABOUT LIFE. HER IRISH HERITAGE WAS ALWAYS A SOURCE OF PRIDE AND SHE USUALLY DIDN’T NEED ANY COAXING TO SING A LIVELY IRISH TUNE FOR ANY OR ALL. SHE HAD CUTE WAYS, A BEWITCHING SMILE, AND EYES THAT TWINKLED AS SHE SPOKE. SHE WAS A GOOD LISTENER TOO-A TRANSPARENT LADY OF EASY GRACE AND DISARMING CHARM. HER PERSONAL WARMTH AND GENEROUS SPIRIT WERE EVIDENT TO ALL WHO KNEW HER. HER SPIRITUALITY AND LOVE FOR HER LORD WAS PRACTICAL, SINCERE, AND FREE OF PRETENSE. SHE LOVED THE BIBLE AND CHERISHED HER MEMORIES OF EARLY SUNDAY SCHOOL DAYS. SHE KNEW ABOUT THE TRANSITION FROM THIS LIFE TO THE NEXT. SHE KNOWS WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT FOLDING UP HER EARTHLY WARDROBE FOR THE GARMENTS OF HEAVEN. AND SHE FULLY BELIEVES THE WORDS OF SAINT PAUL TO THE EARLY CHRISTIANS ABOUT PASSING FROM THIS LIFE TO THE NEXT. MAY'S ANTICIPATION OF HEAVEN IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN HER FAITH IN JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR. SHE IS CONFIDENT THAT HER LOVING SAVIOR WILL SHEPHERD HER TO HER FINAL HOME WITH OPEN ARMS, REUNITE HER WITH HER LOVED ONES WHO HAVE GONE ON BEFORE, AND GIFT HER WITH ETERNAL HAPPINESS AND BLESSINGS. SHE WILL BE FINALLY HOME! MAY WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER HUSBAND, LOUIS AND DAUGHTER, SUSAN. SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER SON, ROGER (MARLENE); GRANDCHILDREN, ALAN, KATHY, KIM, JULIE, KEVIN, PEGGY, PATTY, AND PAM. SHE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY 9 GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.

May Elizabeth Willhite

October 5, 1910 - January 18, 2012