Obituaries

Avon Town Councilman May Passes Away

The calling hours and funeral services for Christopher May, 57, of Avon, will be held this week.

An Avon town councilman up for re-election passed away last Thursday, Aug. 22, town officials confirmed.

The community is mourning the sudden loss of Christopher May, DMD, 57.

"Chris will be greatly missed on the Town Council where he was serving his first term and was a valued member who made many meaningful contributions to the Town," officials said in a press release from the town of Avon. "As a freshman Council member, Chris was very impressive and always balanced his experiences, convictions, and values to make the very best decisions for the Town of Avon. Chris will be greatly missed, but his influence on the Council will remain in our decision making for years to come."

The Avon Republican was concluding his second year on the Town Council and was running for another term.

"He'll be sorely missed," Avon Town Manager Brandon Robertson said. "He contributed a lot to the town."

May, a Clarkson, NY native, moved to Avon with his wife, Susan and family in 1993, according to his obituary. The couple was married for 33 years and ran a private dental practice in Newington together since 1988.

In Avon, May also coached basketball and was a Cub Scout leader. He and Susan were active for awhile at Memorial United Methodist Church as Sunday school teachers and Mission Committee co-chairs, his obituary states. They most recently attended Valley Community Baptist Church in town.

May always had insightful questions at Town Council meetings, Robertson said, and was devoted to serving his town. A press release from the town Monday stated that May used his convictions as "guideposts in his decision making."

"He had strong convictions and he stood by them," Robertson said of May. "He always made decisions that were in the best interest of Avon."

Locally, May also used to teach biology at the high school level in Canton and New Milford, according to his obituary. While teaching in Canton, he also coached girls cross country and served as an advisor to the senior class.

Robertson said it is unclear at this time what will happen with May's seat on the council and said that the decision about a replacement will likely fall on the Republican Town Committee.

The exact cause of May's death has not been publicly released, but town officials said in a press release that May "suffered a sudden medical event on Thursday, August 22nd, from which he did not recover."

The town of Avon will lower its American flag on the Avon Town Green to half-staff on Thursday as a way of remembering and honoring May.

"On behalf of the Town of Avon, we extend our most sincere sympathies to the May family at this difficult time," town officials said in the press release.

May is survived by his wife, Susan and three children, Gregory C. May of Austin, TX, Andrew A. May and his wife Victoria Le May of West Palm Beach, FL and Eric M. May a Palm Beach Atlantic University senior, as well as his parents, Robert and Nancy May of Clarence, NY; his brother, Michael May of Mount Vernon, OH; his two sisters, Pamela May Von der heide and her husband Steve of Lake Jackson, TX and Becky May of Amherst, NY; Susan's mother, Emma Pollock of Mannsville, NY; and several nieces and nephews, according to his obituary.

Calling hours will be on Wednesday, Aug. 28 from 4 to 8 p.m. at  the Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center at 301 Country Club Road in Avon. His funeral will be on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Valley Community Baptist Church on 580 West Avon Rd. in Avon.  

May will be buried at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Houghton, NY, near his alma mater, Houghton College. 

You can read his obituary by clicking on the link provided or by visiting the Carmon Funeral Home website.

Correction: An original version of this story reported that the memorial service will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Calling hours run from 4 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center and there will be no memorial service. The funeral is Thursday, Aug. 29 at 10 a.m. at Valley Community Baptist Church. The article has been updated to reflect the correction.


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