Montgomery May

Montgomery “Monte” May Jr., a devoted husband, father, engineer, and community volunteer, passed away peacefully on March 4, 2026, at the age of 93. Throughout his long life, Monte brought his curiosity, ingenuity, warmth, and generosity, along with his ability to fix nearly anything, to all of his endeavors, using them to enrich the lives of the people and community he loved.

Born on July 15, 1932, in St. Louis, Missouri to Lucille and Montgomery May, Monte got his first workbench at the age of three and his first car at thirteen—a car he took apart and put back together many times before he finally got old enough to drive it. He served in the United States Navy in the 1950s and met the love of his life, Eleanor Jean Porter, at a church youth group in Chicago, Illinois. After a couple of years of being “just friends,” (during which Monte set her up with all his friends, and they went to get ice cream after every failed date), Ellie and Monte married on August 17, 1957. Shortly thereafter, Monte demonstrated for his new wife’s entire family that he was very possibly the handiest man alive: left alone in a room with Ellie’s aunt’s long-defunct grandfather clock while the ladies went out shopping, Monte couldn’t help himself. He disassembled the entire clock (arranging the pieces neatly around the edge of a rug to ensure they stayed in the right order) until he found the problem and fixed it. The clock worked perfectly after that, and Ellie’s aunt left it to him in her will.

Shortly after their honeymoon, Ellie and Monte got in the car and drove to Rolla, Missouri, where he attended the School of Mines and earned a degree in electrical engineering (thanks largely to the efforts of Ellie, who typed all his labs and kept him in line). In 1970, they moved to Ithaca, New York, where they built a home and community together until Ellie’s passing in 2019.

Soon after arriving in Ithaca, he and Ellie joined the Newcomers’ Club, an organization dedicated to helping people connect and build friendships in the area. The May home on Slaterville Road became a place of welcome and gathering for friends, neighbors, and community members. Over the years, the couple hosted numerous gatherings at their farm, including the club’s well-known annual Pig Roast. These events soon became cherished traditions and important ways to share warmth and hospitality with the community.

After many years with Morse Chain then Emerson, Monte purchased Wheaton’s Sheet Metal Shop in nearby Lansing, New York—a business that he went on to run with his daughter Patty as a heating and air-conditioning business, and which allowed him endless opportunities to fabricate and fix things in the shop. At Wheaton’s, Monte was able to use his engineering and problem-solving skills across a range of projects, and customers came to value his thoughtful approach, practical skill, and willingness to tackle projects that required patience and ingenuity.

As Monte moved into retirement, his commitment to the community grew. Together with Ellie, Monte dedicated many years of service and leadership to the Friends of the Tompkins County Public Library Association, working tirelessly to support literacy and access to books in the community and serving as president, treasurer, and chair of the building committee. One of his lasting contributions was helping guide the selection and renovation of the organization’s permanent building on Esty Street, ensuring the group would have a lasting home for its mission.

Monte also helped establish “Wonderful Wheelchairs,” a community initiative dedicated to repairing and distributing affordable mobility equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, and scooters. He found endless joy and satisfaction in deploying his practical skills and engineering knowledge to improve the lives of others.

As anyone who ever met Monte knows, he was deeply passionate about steam engines and the history of steam power. This fascination led him to become a leading member of the Finger Lakes Live Steamers in Clyde, New York. There he enjoyed building, restoring, and operating model steam engines and trains. For Monte, these machines were more than a hobby—they were a community, a connection to engineering history, and an endless source of delight.

Monte’s family was the center of his life. He and Ellie raised three daughters—Marianne Lucille, Leslie Jean, and Patricia Ellen—who took it for granted that Dad could fix whatever they broke and build almost anything. Whether working on a piece of machinery, fixing one of Ellie’s spinning wheels, restoring a steam engine, or helping organize a community project, Monte approached every challenge with curiosity, determination, and genuine pleasure in being able to help.

Monte leaves behind his daughter Patty Van de Bogart and her husband Ray; daughter Marianne May-Rodda and her husband Phil; and son-in-law Charlie Mettler, widower of their oldest daughter, Leslie; along with their grandchildren Dan and Natalie “Lili” Van de Bogart, Sam and Benny May-Rodda, and adopted family, Abby and Mendel Breitstein and their children Aryeh, Ezra, Noam, Meital, Amram, and Tehila; along with extended family and many, many, many friends whose lives were enriched by Monte’s kindness, intelligence, and generous spirit.

Monte’s life was defined not by grand gestures, but by constant presence and steady dedication—to his family, his craft, and his community. Through the projects he built, the organizations he supported, and the gatherings he helped create, he left a legacy of connection, service, and curiosity that will bring smiles and warm memories for generations to come.

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