Clyde Willard May

March 13, 1937 – August 8, 2025

Clyde Willard May, 88, of Queen Creek, AZ, passed away August 8, 2025.

Willard was born March 13, 1937, in Cody, WY, the son of Clyde Ellsworth and Janet Lee Warriner May. From 1942 to 1945, the family, including his younger sister Margaret, lived in Seward and Lincoln, NE, Buffalo, NY, and St. Louis, MO. They returned to Wyoming and settled in Sheridan. Willard graduated from Sheridan High School in 1955, then enrolled at Sheridan College.

Willard enlisted in the United States Navy in 1956. He attended boot camp in San Diego, CA, and Guided Missile School in Dam Neck, VA.

In April of 1957, Willard was stationed at the Naval Ammunition Depot in Crane, IN. In June, he went on a blind date with Nancy Jane Keck of Odon, IN. Two months later, they were married on August 25, 1957, in the United Brethren Church of Odon. Their first home was on the Naval Base at Crane.

Willard was then assigned to the USS Observation Island EAG. They lived in Norfolk and Portsmouth, VA, and Cocoa Beach, FL. He participated in the first at-sea launch of the Polaris Missile. Willard ended his tour of duty in December 1959, and they moved to Sheridan, WY.

While in Sheridan, they had two children, Mark Willard in 1960 and Teresa Jane in 1961. During this time, Willard worked for the Wyoming Highway Department and Montana-Dakota Utilities. They moved to Casper, WY, in 1961, where he began an electrical apprenticeship. While in Casper, their daughter Jill Janette was born in 1963.

Willard re-enlisted in the Navy in October 1965. He went to Treasure Island Naval Base in San Francisco, CA, and was then assigned to the USS Proteus in Agana, Guam, MI. Nancy and their three young children (Mark, Teresa, and Jill) joined him in Guam. They were transferred to Charleston, SC in 1968 where Willard served on the USS Holland and the USS Hunley. He retired from the Navy in October of 1969 and moved with his family to Buffalo, WY, and then to Rock Springs, WY.

While in Rock Springs, Willard worked as a Claims Adjuster for State Farm Insurance and then returned to the electrical trade, working at the Jim Bridger Power Plant. He started his own successful business, Western Wyoming Electric, and became a Master Electrician. During this time, their fourth and last child, Rachel Jan, was born in 1976. Willard moved his family to Spanish Fork, Utah, in 1977, where he owned and operated a Gambles Hardware Store.

After the older children left home, Willard, Nancy, and Rachel lived in Billings, MT, from 1980 to 1985. While there, he worked for General Electric and Midland Electric. They then moved to Green River, WY, for one year, where he worked as an Assistant Superintendent for the ExxonMobil Shute Creek Plant. In 1986, the family moved to Tempe, AZ. During this time, Willard worked as an Electrical Inspector for the City of Phoenix, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Management from the University of Phoenix, and taught classes at Gateway Community College. He then spent a year and a half in Alaska working as an inspector on the Alaskan Pipeline. He returned to Arizona in 1995, where he and Nancy built a home in Chandler, AZ, and he worked as an Electrical Inspector for the City of Chandler in charge of the Intel Plant. In 2000, Willard and Nancy moved to a new home in San Tan Valley, AZ. He retired in March of 2006.

Willard was a hard worker and always provided for his family. He tried to attend every event that was important to his children and his grandchildren. He was musically talented, playing the banjo, mandolin, harmonica, and piano. He had a beautiful bass singing voice and sang in many venues over the years. He was part of a quartet known as The Uncalled Four. Willard was also very athletic; he was on a semi-pro baseball team, a member of several bowling leagues, and was an avid golfer. He was a fan of the Brooklyn and the LA Dodgers. He also loved watching the Arizona Diamondbacks. Willard was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and Nancy were sealed in the Salt Lake City LDS Temple in May of 1973.

Willard’s wife, Nancy, passed away in 2018. He was also preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Margaret Lee May Johnson Wark, a brother-in-law, John Austin Keck, and a sister-in-law, Marcella Ann Reddick Edwards. He is survived by his four children; Mark (Kerri) May of Middleton, ID, Teresa (Brett) Healey of Mesa, AZ, Jill (Jim) Power of Queen Creek, AZ, and Rachel (Brett) Young of Spanish Fork, UT; 15 grandchildren; Chantel, Daniel (Tiffany), Michelle, Amanda (Stuart), Janette (Seth), Jason, Mandy (Tyler), Davis, Katie (Alex), Jackie (Ryan), David (Courtney), Aubrey (Nickolas), Ryan, Ava and Dallin; 2 step-grandchildren; Jana and Gabe (Emily); 22 great grandchildren; 11 step great grandchildren; 1 brother in-law John “Jack” Edwards of Franklin, IN; nieces, nephews and cousins.

A service will be held Saturday, August 16, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Mountain View Funeral Home, 7900 E. Main St., Mesa, AZ. A viewing will be held beforehand, from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. Burial will be in the Mountain View Cemetery following the service.

A special thank you to the staff at Countryside Assisted Living Memory Care in Queen Creek, AZ, where Willard has resided since 2021, and to Always Present Hospice.