Loretta June (Stump) May

Loretta June (Stump) May, 83, of Indianapolis, IN formerly of Chillicothe and Kingston, OH, was called to her heavenly home to meet her Savior, May 29, 2020.  Loretta was born May 31, 1936 in Laurelville, OH, the youngest child of the late Milton and Maude (Harden) Stump.

    Loretta often reminisced of her childhood memories growing up on the farm, caring for the family’s farm animals.  Loretta was a 1954 graduate of Laurelville High School.  Shortly after graduation, she traveled to IN where she and her high school sweetheart, Robert May, eloped and married on June 18, 1955.        

    After her children were older, Loretta worked at JC Penney’s in Chillicothe until her retirement.  Loretta enjoyed many hobbies during her lifetime. She enjoyed baking pies and would bake favorites for family members. She also enjoyed gardening, canning, sewing, and cross stitching. Loretta won several blue ribbons at the Ross County Fair with her beautiful afghan blankets that she crocheted and knitted, each one by hand.

    Loretta always said she was “born cold, tired, and hungry,” so her hobbies have kept her family warm and well fed.  One fond memory was the time when Bob was carrying two of Loretta’s pies up the hill at Old Man’s Cave for a family picnic. He dropped the pies at the top of the hill, they rolled down the hill like tires as everyone, but Loretta, laughed at the sight of Bob trying to catch her prized pies. We are still not sure if she ever forgave Bob for that!  Loretta had a green thumb, and her garden was always full of flowers, lilacs, irises, bleeding hearts, geraniums, and her favorite, pansies.

    The trips to Amish Country were always fun times and Loretta would be sure to buy a cow trinket to add to her collection.  Loretta had a big heart and loved caring for others, especially family members and neighbors, who were in ill health.  Loretta was one of the founding members of Faith Chapel in Chillicothe, and we know she is now resting in the Kingdom of Heaven.

    “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.  

    In addition to her parents, Loretta was preceded in death by her sisters, Mildred (Earl) Swackhammer, Elsie (Archie) Tisdale, and Florence (Gerald) Stevens; brother, Lloyd (Peggy) Stump, infant brother Wallace, and nephews, Johnny Swackhammer and Dale Stevens; and niece, Cheryl Swackhammer Shaw.

    Survivors include her beloved husband of almost 65 years, Bob May; children, Carol (Mark Bindi) May of Hilliard, OH; Randy May of Pikeville, TN, and Brian (Melanie) May, Cicero, IN; grandchildren, Jennifer (Elliot) Pollard, Kelli (Mike) Baker, Brent Barton, Rob (Cari) May, and Tyler (Julia) May; great grandchildren, Katherine Pollard, Amelia Baker, William Baker, and Audrey Baker.

    A visitation will take place Wednesday, June 3, 2020 from 5-7 pm in Hill Funeral Home, Kingston and again Thursday, June 4, at 10 am with the funeral service beginning at 11 am in the funeral home.

    Burial will follow in Green Summit Cemetery, Adelphi.  

    Bussell Family Funerals of Westfield-Carmel is privileged to assist the family in arrangements.

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