May, Doris Christine 'C.J.'

Doris Christine “C.J.” May, 63, of Cedar Rapids, died Dec. 8, 2012, at her home. Services: noon Saturday, Dec. 15, at First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids. Participating in the service will be: Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Mark Hanson; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Southeastern Iowa Synod Bishop, Michael Burk; the Rev. Steven Knudson and the Rev. Dr. Kay Slocum. The family will greet friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids. Burial: Linwood Cemetery.

Survivors include her husband, the Rev. Dr. Walter May; children, Frederick (Dana) Stowers of Moreno Valley, Calif., Kevin Adams of Grand Rapids, Mich., Sean (Mishell) May of Phoenix, Ariz., Eric May of Cedar Rapids and Darius May (Amy) of Cedar Rapids; son-in-law, James Wilson of Racine, Wis.; and grandchildren, Kamisha Wilson, Jamil Wilson, Jasmine Wilson, Trevor Stowers, Jade Stowers, Tiffany Stowers, Trey Adams, Shawnlyn May, Latrisha May, Monique May, Abena May, Michael Turner, Drakkar May, Tayvian May, Golyfe May and Isaiah Holtz.

She is also survived by her mother, Bessie Rideout-Vaughn of Fresno, Calif.; siblings, Martha Merriweather of Minneapolis, Beverly Synagogue of Milwaukee, Wis., Lewis (Anese) Rideout of Savannah, Ga., Robert (Zondra) Rideout of Charlotte, N.C., Gary (Pam) Rideout of Milwaukee and Karen (Steve) Ford of Milwaukee; mother-in-law, Frances Scott of Cedar Rapids; and a host of nieces and nephews, including a special nephew, Rashim Merriweather.

She was preceded in death by her father; and daughter, Carolyn Wilson.

C.J. was born May 18, 1949, in Fordyce, Ark., the daughter of Albert and Bessie (Shelton) Rideout. She attended the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and earned her B.A. from Columbia University in business administration. C.J. married the Rev. Walter May in 1978 in Milwaukee. She was the former director for Racial Justice Ministries for the ELCA. C.J. was a member of First Lutheran Church and African Descent Lutheran Association.

She was a talented artist and enjoyed painting and drawing. C.J. loved to travel and enjoyed gardening.

Memorials may be directed to the Cancer Research Foundation in C.J.'s memory.

Please sign the online guest book for C.J. at under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette Dec. 10, 2012.