James Allen May

james may

November 16, 1948 ~ April 17, 2020

Born in: Selmer, TN
Resided in: Candler, NC

James Allen May, Captain, U.S. Public Health Service (Retired), passed unexpectedly April 17, 2020 at Mission Hospital, Asheville, NC. He was born November 16, 1948 in Selmer, Tennessee to Carthell and Maggie Kernodle May.

On June 28, 1970 he married Jacque Hamm and they began a long and good life together. Their lives reached a new level of adventure with the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth Hamm, years later. His beloved daughter-in-law, Susan, joined the family almost a decade ago, and twin grandchildren added to full hearts just a few years later.

Jim was a 1966 graduate of Selmer High School and valedictorian of his class. He attended University of Tennessee at Martin and then University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) Pharmacy School, graduating in 1971, Summa Cum Laude. Jim was elected president of his pharmacy senior class and also served as student body president for the UTHSC. July 1, 1971, he accepted a commission with U.S. Public Health Service and he and Jacque set off across country to his first duty station, Fort Yates, ND. His grandfather-in-law, Eugene Hamm, gave the couple 100 silver dollars to make the trip and made sure their insurance was paid.

In 1973, Jim was transferred to Cherokee, NC and served at Cherokee Indian Hospital for 25 years, many of those years as Chief Pharmacist. He enjoyed the stimulating clinical practice of pharmacy in a multi-disciplinary environment. Jim was grateful and proud he could be a part of the pharmacy practice model that is now the norm being taught and practiced. A difficult infectious disease problem was always his favorite challenge. Jim served as a preceptor for the University of Tennessee and University of North Carolina Schools of Pharmacy. He was the first recipient of The Public Health Service Career Achievement Award in Pharmacy in 1991. He chaired the working group to revise the Pharmacy Chapter of the Indian Health Service Manual. Jim also served on the Indian Health Service-wide Pharmacy Professional Specialty Group, which guided the development and implementation of the pharmacy component within the IHS Resource and Patient Management System. After retirement from Indian Health Service in 1998, the family moved to Asheville, NC where Jim began a career with Buncombe County Health Department Pharmacy and practiced until the clinic was closed in 2009. The final phase of his career was to develop the 340B pharmacy program for Blue Ridge Community Health Center in Hendersonville, NC.

Jim served in many capacities within the United Methodist Church and looked forward to joining with the newly formed Wellspring Congregation, an inclusive United Methodist Church.

Jim is survived by his wife, Jacque Hamm May; his daughter Elizabeth Hamm May-West and her wife, Susan; twin grandchildren Henry James and Ila Elizabeth May-West; his sister Judy Sweatt (Jerry); nieces Ann Sweatt Burks (Phillip) and Alexandria Hamm (Charlie Aruitt); great-nephews Anthony Lambert (Hannah) and Brandon Lambert (Allison); and great-great nephews and niece, Malcolm and Mason Lambert and Nolan and Ella Lambert. He was predeceased by his parents Carthell and Maggie May; in-laws Joe and Elizabeth Hamm; brothers-in-law Joseph Robert Hamm and Nelson Eugene Hamm.

The family requests memorials to honor this man who cared for the underserved be directed to the givers choice of the following: Ramer Cemetery Fund, in care of Edith Wardlow, 459 Mt. Vernon Road, Ramer, TN, 38367; Loving Food Resources, PO Box 25142, Asheville, NC 28813; or Pisgah Legal Services, PO Box 2276, Asheville NC 28802.

The family offers hearts filled with gratitude to the staff of J-4 ICU at Mission Hospital (and retired physician friends) who worked night and day trying to save his life.

Services

Funeral Home Assisting The Family:

Groce Funeral Home - Patton Ave.
1401 Patton Ave.
Asheville, NC 28806

(828)252-3535
http://www.grocefuneralhome.com

Navy Veteran

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Guestbook

  1. Jacque & Elizabeth,
    Our hearts and thoughts are with you during this time of grieving. Please know that you are not alone in remembering a truly wonderful person that meant so much to so many.
    Said with Love,

  2. I could always feel what a good soul that God had put on this earth, but never knew how much he actually he gave to make it better. Thank you Jim for making a difference. Missing you

  3. Such joy to have known this special man! Growing up as near neighbors and friends with Judy and Jim (Jimmy to us), we have many memories of this man who had a true servant’s heart. Praying sustaining grace for his family, friends and neighbors. Continued love and prayers.

    Bill and Linda

  4. Doubly heartbroken for your loss. We squandered an opportunity to get to know a truly wonderful man. Love and hugs for you and the family.

  5. May God bless each of you during these difficult days and wrap you in His amazing love. Our prayers are with you Jacque and family for peace and comfort.

  6. Jacque and Elizabeth,
    You all are in our thoughts and prayers.
    Heaven gained another angel.
    Courtney Dickinson

  7. I worked with Jim at Cherokee for 18 years and have always remembered him fondly. He challenged those around him to be better. Prayers to Jacque and family.

  8. What an incredible life he led and such a caring, compassionate man. My thoughts are with you and your family, Jacque.

  9. May peace and comfort be with your family.
    Jim will surely live on in your hearts and not forgotten!

  10. My prayers continue to be with you and your family during this time and in the future. Love to you all.
    Gerri

  11. Jacque, so sorry for your loss! Praying for you, Elizabeth, Ila and Henry! May God bless you!
    Judy Perry

  12. I can’t believe this has happened and I feel pain for you Jacque and Elisabeth. Prayers for you all

  13. We are saddened to learn of Jim’s passing. CAPT May was an outstanding pharmacist, Commissioned Officer, person and friend. He will be missed. Prayers for you and your family.

  14. May the loving memories be a comfort to all of Jim’s family and friends. Was happy to have had the pleasure of meeting him & can easily picture his wonderful smile.

  15. My time working with Jim were some of my favorites. I worked with him as the first Pharmacy Technician at Blue Ridge. Jim was the type of Pharmacist that a technician loves to work with, he included you, he would teach you, and most of all he appreciated you. He was always quick to make us laugh with stories about a hamster who went to all sorts of places and got in all sorts of trouble. I don’t know how to sum up all the wonderful times that I had working with such a great man but he will always be remembered and be missed.

  16. George and I had the privilege of working with Jim at Cherokee starting in 1983 until his retirement. He was the best pharmacist ever and always cared deeply about the community we served. His vision expanded the collaborative role of pharmacists in the health care system. Sending our condolences and prayers to Jacque and family in this sudden loss. What a great man.

  17. May God bless you during these difficult days and wrap you in His amazing love. Our prayers are with you Jacque for peace and comfort. Enjoy those Grandkids.

  18. May God bless you during these difficult days and wrap you in His amazing love. Our prayers are with you Jacque for peace and comfort. Enjoy those Grandkids.

  19. May God bless you during these difficult days and wrap you in His amazing love. Our prayers are with you Jacque for peace and comfort. Enjoy those Grandkids.

  20. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jacque, Elizabeth, and all the family. We cannot express how humbled and blessed we feel to have known Jim. He has left an extrordanary legacy.

  21. So sorry to here about Jim. Saw the posting in the One Feather. Prayers for you & the family.😔

  22. Jim was one of the Good Guys. Laura and I enjoyed knowing him. He had a great sense of humor. Whenever we know when we were going to see Jim we would smile because we knew it would be fun! He didn’t take himself all that seriously but we knew he had strong values and deeply held beliefs. For all of this, Jim will be missed by all those who knew him. Our prayers, hopes, and well wishes go out to Jacque and Elizabeth.

  23. Worked with Jim at Cherokee Hospital for 10 plus years. He had a good sense of humor and always made boring workshops more fun. He was always helpful when I had questions about drugs and their effects on my patients.(I was Clinical Supervisor on the Chemical Dependency Unit.) My thoughts and prayers are with his family. The world has lost a great person way too soon!!! Fanny Nicholson Gosselin


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