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Bartlesville
Posted: Apr 01, 2020 10:45 AMUpdated: Apr 02, 2020 6:18 AM
Mike May Passes Away
Tom Davis
The Bartlesville community is saddened to hear of the passing of Mike May, a local businessman whose family's clothing store began in Oklahoma near the time of statehood.
Of five May Brothers department stores, the Bartlesville outlet, managed by Michael May, remained open at the turn of the twenty-first century, making it one of the longest-running Oklahoma businesses in the same location.
According to Mike May's family, he passed away Tuesday evening. His health has been in decline since last year.
Mike not only was a former Rotary Club President and an active member for over 60 years, he was an anchor in the Bartlesville business community, not only through the May Brothers Clothing store, but also serving dozens of organizations on boards and in leadership roles.
His four sons all send their heartfelt thanks for everyone's concern and wishes of late. They would like everyone to know that the graveside service will be small and private due to COVID-19 concerns. However, they plan to hold a community memorial service later this year or early next year, once things open up for larger groups. In the meantime, his obituary should appear by Friday, which will have more information plans and donation information, for anyone interested.
From https://www.okhistory.org/ :
"Originally named Madanic, the May family moved from Illinois to Tulsa, Oklahoma, after hearing about the Glen Pool oil discovery and the subsequent economic boom. In 1908, one year after Oklahoma statehood, the May family opened their first clothing store, known as Model Clothiers, in Tulsa. The Madanics, Russian Jews who fled Imperial Russia in 1889, changed their name to Madansky and finally shortened it to May in 1921 due to the "Red Scare" after World War I. Hyman Madanic and his eldest son, Benjamin, became tailors after arriving in the United States.
By 1910 a second department store, Madansky Clothing Company, opened in Bartlesville. Established by Benjamin May, the business was turned over to his youngest brother, Jacob. Six years later another clothing outlet opened in Oklahoma City at 225 West Main Street, near the John A. Brown Company. Hyman May's grandsons, Solomon, Samuel, and Milton, operated the Oklahoma City business. By 1955 a second Oklahoma City store opened in Penn Square Mall. Hyman May's son Paul managed a fifth store in Muskogee from 1922 until his retirement in 1955."
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