Woodward County Obituary
Mooreland Cemetery

© Billings Funeral Home
Reprinted with permission
Submitted by: Ann Weber

Frances Marie Patterson May

April 19, 1930 ~ February 17, 2020

Frances Marie May, 89, of Mustang went to meet Jesus in the early hours of Monday, February 17, 2020. She was in St. Anthonys Hospital, Oklahoma City, when she departed this life. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am, Friday, Feb. 21, 2020 in the First Baptist Church of Mooreland, Oklahoma, with the Rev. Gerald Spriggs officiating. Interment will follow in the Mooreland Cemetery under the direction of Billings Funeral Home, Mooreland, Oklahoma.

Frances was born April 19, 1930 to Jesse Robert Patterson and Lulu Mary (Wolf) Patterson in Major County, Oklahoma, in the farmhouse where the family resided. Frances attended grade school at Pleasant Valley, a one room schoolhouse located three miles from her home, where she and her sister would either walk to school or ride their horse, Diamond. To finish her high school education, Frances moved to Mooreland and resided with her grandparents, Hugh and Bessie Patterson. While in high school she worked part time at the Mooreland hospital. On August 5, 1948, a little over two months after graduation Frances married William F. (Bill) May, II. They lived on the May homesteaded farm north of Mooreland, on the side of Billy May Hill. To the union of Bill and Frances were born two daughters and one son. In 1957 Bill and Frances moved to Edmond, Oklahoma, but also continued farming the homestead in Mooreland. While in Edmond Frances continued her education earning a BA degree in Education from Central State College. She immediately began teaching in the Edmond Public School System; first at Ida Freeman, 2nd grade and later at Sunset, 4th grade, retiring after teaching 25 years.

Frances’ love in life, after her husband was her grandchildren. She always made time to spend with them. She also enjoyed crocheting and was an avid reader. Earlier, when Bill was alive they enjoyed raising iris and traveling through our northern and western states.

Frances was preceded in death by her husband, William F. May II and her parents, Jesse and Lulu Patterson, also sisters, Roberta May Walker, Bessie Lou McDowell, Fay Louise Bouse and one brother, Robert Jesse Patterson.

Frances is survived by her son, William F. May III and wife Rhonda and son Jonathan, his wife Anna and their daughter, Abigail, all of Mustang.

Oldest daughter Jo Ann Spriggs and husband Gerald, of Waxahachie, Texas, their three children, Stephanie Rieper and husband Trey of Waxahachie, Texas, daughters Kaitlyn and husband Kelly Doolittle of Waco, and Amanda Rieper of Waxahachie; Robert Spriggs, his wife Judith, daughter Camila, all of Frisco, Texas, and son, John Michael of Lubbock, Texas; Lyndsey Dockins and her husband Michael, their children Meredith, Colleen and Danielle, of Friendswood, Texas. Youngest daughter Carol Terry and husband Ross of Edmond; their three children, Sydney Benjamin and husband Roger and sons Gavin and Leo of Plano, Texas; Spencer Terry of Oklahoma City; Lauren Pettit and husband Michael, a son Eli and daughter Emma of Edmond.

Three sisters, Edra Lois Shuck of Yukon; Leola Pearl Edwards and husband John of Cheyenne Valley; and Janice Mae Peters of Yukon. Gma (Gigi) had 7 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Pall bearers include grandsons and grandsons-in-law: Jonathan May, Robert Spriggs, Spencer Terry, Trey Reiper, Michael Pettit, and Mike Johnson. Honorary pallbearers are Michael Dockins, Roger Benjamin, and John Michael Spriggs.