Jerry Lee May

February 18, 1934 - August 24, 2021

Jerry Lee May, 87 of Kearney passed away Tuesday, August 24, 2021 at the Central Nebraska Veterans Home in Kearney. Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, August 27, 2021 at the Kearney E-Free Church. Pastor Tim Peterson will officiate. Interment will follow at Kearney Cemetery with Military honors provided by Kearney American Legion Post #52 and VFW Post #759 in conjunction with the Nebraska National Guard Funeral Honors Team. Visitation will be 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Thursday and one hour prior to the service all at the church. Memorials are suggested to Kearney E-Free Church. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services. Jerry Lee May was born February 18, 1934 in Kearney, Nebraska to Walter P. and Gladys M. (Evans) May. Jerry started his work career at the age of 8 with his father in the family welding and maintenance shop (including aircraft maintenance). His inspiration for aircraft came from his father who obtained a pilots license in 1926. Jerry’s first solo flight was in 1950 at age 16 in his own 1941 Luscombe 8A that he had purchased working full time after school. Jerry served in the U.S. Army from 1954 until his honorable discharge in 1957. During his time in the military Jerry served as a fixed wing and rotocraft mechanic working into chief inspector position of his unit. He was stationed at Ft. Eustis in Williamsburg, VA. After serving his country, Jerry attended Kearney State Teachers College from 1957-1962 and obtained a BA in industrial arts education while working side positions in the aviation maintenance field. In 1962, he taught industrial arts at Gibbon High School then relocated to Omaha to teach at Omaha South High School. On August 17, 1963, Jerry was united in marriage to Vivian V. Vance. Jerry then moved back to Kearney and held a position in the aircraft maintenance field at Kearney Airport under Dennis Nelson from 1965-1972 where he had obtained his A&P and the I-A when qualified to do so. Jerry then opened his own mechanics shop (May’s Aircraft Service) which he started in Gibbon, NE and relocated it to Minden for logistical reasons. In 1980, he began an engineering venture with Eagle Helicopter Corporation as their Chief engineer and designer of an Air-Jet concept helicopter. It was always a dream of his to provide the public a safe affordable helicopter that excelled in low cost maintenance and ease of operation. The corporation dissolved in 1985. Jerry then resumed May’s Aircraft Services from 1985-2014 where he raised two children with aviation maintenance backgrounds. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Vivian May of Kearney; sons, Mark May of Ashland City, TN and Michael May of Axtell; grandchildren, Joshua (Brandi) May, Michaela (Derek) Oliver and Amelia May; sister, Marilyn (Charles) Jenkins of Kentucky; as well as many extended family and friends. Jerry was preceded in death by his parents; sister and brother-in-law, Donna and Howard Blue.