Melvin Arthur May Sr.

Melvin Arthur May, Sr., age 85, of Red Lake, Minnesota began his journey on June 6, 2020 from Sanford Hospital in Fargo, ND.  He was born to Eliza Anderson and Andrew Neadeau on January 24, 1935 in Red Lake, MN. He enlisted in the US Army from 1951 to 1955 and served active duty in the Korean War, earning numerous medals.

Melvin was a fluent Ojibwemowin speaker and lived his life following a traditional lifestyle of subsistence fishing, trapping, and hunting.  Melvin worked as a commercial fisherman, a logger; he also worked for Red Lake Builders, Red Lake Gaming and Red Lake Maintenance, and he had his own contracting business.  Melvin loved playing the slots at the casino but everyone knew Melvin as a hard worker and taught his children this work ethic as well as his love of following the Ojibwe seasons.

Family that he is reunited with is his parents Eliza Anderson and Andrew Neadeau; son Melvin May Jr.; grandchildren Jamison Applebee and Melvin May III; sisters Rosetta Jourdain, Sally May, Belva Smallwood, Lucille Anderson and Marge Neadeau; brothers Herbert “Zemo” May Sr., Ron Anderson, and Leslie Anderson.

Those left behind to cherish his memory are his children Adrian May, Greg May, Pam May and Shelly May; grandchildren Clarice Sorenson, Tashina Claw, Naomi Blue-LaGou, Terry Applebee-May, Aaron May, David May, Violet May, Shayna May, Danny Dudley, Beverly May and Curtis May; numerous nieces and nephews; brothers Francis "Chunky" Brun Sr., Roy Anderson and Robert Anderson Sr.; sisters Shirley Wiley and Nancy Polonia.

A wake for Melvin will begin June 9 at 5:00 p.m. at the Little Rock Center. The funeral will be Thursday at 11:00 a.m. in Red Lake MN, with Father Jerry Rogers officiating.  Helping to lay Melvin to rest are Willie May, Corey May, Todd Anderson, Devin Anderson, Ethan May and Vincent May and alternate pallbearers Justin Wiley, Sam Roy and Robert Anderson Jr.  Honorary pallbearers are Floyd “Buck” Jourdain, John Jourdain, Bill May, Charles May, Simon Beaulieu, Robert Anderson Sr., Chris Maxwell, Marvin Yellow, David May, Kyle Whitefeather, and Roy Anderson.  Interment will be in the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery at Red Lake MN.

Melvin’s care has been entrusted to Whispering Pines Funeral & Cremation Service, in Walker MN.  Online condolences for the family may be left at www.whisperingpinesnorth.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Melvin Arthur May Sr., please visit our floral store.