Obituary for Theo B. May
Swan’s Island
Theo P. May, age 95, passed away peacefully early on the morning of November 23, 2023, following a very brief illness. She was at Eastern Maine Medical Center with her daughter by her side.
Born on April 8, 1928, to Theodore and Alberta (Sprague) Buswell, Theo was the oldest of five siblings. She met her future husband Roy May when he came to the island to work as a woodcutter. She said she fell in love with his beautiful white horse, and then she fell in love with him. The two were married on June 4th,1945 and would go on to have three children together.
Theo worked for a while as a waitress at the Morrison restaurant on Swan’s Island, which was owned by her sister Etta. After that, she worked as a lobster fisherman with Roy, as well as knitting bait pockets and heads to sell to other local fishermen.
A talented knitter, Theo made sweaters, mittens, hats, afghans, and baby sets for the people around her. She was a wonderful cook, a social butterfly, and loved flowers, birds, and children.
Theo was a very forgiving person. It was her belief that you had to let it go or it would eat you up. She lived by that belief and was known for her cheerful nature.
In the ’60s, Theo and Roy began fostering teenaged children, including Arnold Nash, Jimmy Ginn, and Richard Leavitt. Later, when those children had moved on, Theo and Roy got a phone call, saying that two children, ages three and four, were in immediate need of a home. Just two days before Christmas, Lori and Jessie (Dewey) Curtis joined their family. Within a few months, the household grew again, as three children, ages four, five, and six arrived. Chris, Donny, and Kevin Turner made them a family of ten. Theo and Roy raised everyone in their full house to adulthood. In later years, Lori left her infant son, Micah, in Theo and Roy’s care. They gave him their name and he became their son.
As the oldest person on Swan’s Island, Theo was presented with the gold cane. She had the honor of holding it from 2019-2023. She is survived by her daughter-in- law, Gwen May; son, Leonard May and his wife, Jackie; daughter, Lisa Stanley and her husband, Lawrence (Sonny); son, Micah May; brother, Albert Buswell, with whom she had a close bond; sister, Leona Buswell and her wife, Betsy; and canine companion, Lucky— all of Swan’s Island. Theo leaves behind 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great- grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, including an especially-dear-to-her-heart niece, Linda Morrison. She was predeceased by her parents, Ted and Alberta Buswell; her husband, Roy May, who passed in February of 2004; her son, Roger May, who passed in June of 2003; and two sisters, Etta Morrison and Theresa Orcutt.
A memorial service will be held at the Swan’s Island Church of God on Friday, December 1, 2023, with visiting hours 10:30-11:30 followed by a memorial service at 12:00 with the Reverend Paul Joy officiating. A reception will follow. Theo will be laid to rest at the Rose Hill Cemetery. Those wishing to make a donation in her memory may donate to the Swan’s Island Ambulance Service, c/o Debbie Staples, P O Box 11, Swan’s Island 04685
Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 1139 Main St. Mt. Desert
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com
Theo P. May, age 95, passed away peacefully early on the morning of November 23, 2023, following a very brief illness. She was at Eastern Maine Medical Center with her daughter by her side.
Born on April 8, 1928, to Theodore and Alberta (Sprague) Buswell, Theo was the oldest of five siblings. She met her future husband Roy May when he came to the island to work as a woodcutter. She said she fell in love with his beautiful white horse, and then she fell in love with him. The two were married on June 4th,1945 and would go on to have three children together.
Theo worked for a while as a waitress at the Morrison restaurant on Swan’s Island, which was owned by her sister Etta. After that, she worked as a lobster fisherman with Roy, as well as knitting bait pockets and heads to sell to other local fishermen.
A talented knitter, Theo made sweaters, mittens, hats, afghans, and baby sets for the people around her. She was a wonderful cook, a social butterfly, and loved flowers, birds, and children.
Theo was a very forgiving person. It was her belief that you had to let it go or it would eat you up. She lived by that belief and was known for her cheerful nature.
In the ’60s, Theo and Roy began fostering teenaged children, including Arnold Nash, Jimmy Ginn, and Richard Leavitt. Later, when those children had moved on, Theo and Roy got a phone call, saying that two children, ages three and four, were in immediate need of a home. Just two days before Christmas, Lori and Jessie (Dewey) Curtis joined their family. Within a few months, the household grew again, as three children, ages four, five, and six arrived. Chris, Donny, and Kevin Turner made them a family of ten. Theo and Roy raised everyone in their full house to adulthood. In later years, Lori left her infant son, Micah, in Theo and Roy’s care. They gave him their name and he became their son.
As the oldest person on Swan’s Island, Theo was presented with the gold cane. She had the honor of holding it from 2019-2023. She is survived by her daughter-in- law, Gwen May; son, Leonard May and his wife, Jackie; daughter, Lisa Stanley and her husband, Lawrence (Sonny); son, Micah May; brother, Albert Buswell, with whom she had a close bond; sister, Leona Buswell and her wife, Betsy; and canine companion, Lucky— all of Swan’s Island. Theo leaves behind 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great- grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, including an especially-dear-to-her-heart niece, Linda Morrison. She was predeceased by her parents, Ted and Alberta Buswell; her husband, Roy May, who passed in February of 2004; her son, Roger May, who passed in June of 2003; and two sisters, Etta Morrison and Theresa Orcutt.
A memorial service will be held at the Swan’s Island Church of God on Friday, December 1, 2023, with visiting hours 10:30-11:30 followed by a memorial service at 12:00 with the Reverend Paul Joy officiating. A reception will follow. Theo will be laid to rest at the Rose Hill Cemetery. Those wishing to make a donation in her memory may donate to the Swan’s Island Ambulance Service, c/o Debbie Staples, P O Box 11, Swan’s Island 04685
Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 1139 Main St. Mt. Desert
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com