Ramona Maria (nee Haase) May's Obituary
Ramona Maria (nee Haase) May
March 12, 1934 - August 14, 2025
“My love for my child is unconditional. It means I love them when they are at their best and when they are at their worst.” Anonymous
Ramona Maria (nee Haase) May, 91, died peacefully in Draper, Utah on August 14, 2025. Though in a memory care the last six years of her life, she kept her sweet, kind, grateful spirit; never complaining, always asking about you, and thanking everyone for everything they did for her. She loved unconditionally
and had a special heart for the underdog.
Ramona was born in Ellsworth, Kansas in 1934 to Edward Johannes Frederick Haase and Maria Bertha Carolina (nee Petermann) Haase who welcomed her as a surprise seven years after her nearest brother. She loved her childhood; visiting the grandparents’ farms and listening to all the uncles’ raucous joking.
In elementary school the family moved to Newton, KS and then before she started seventh grade, to Colorado. She attended Colorado Springs High School. At the age of 18, as a long distance telephone operator, she became a “foster parent” to a two year old Greek boy who had lost his father in an exploding mine. It was while ice skating that she bumped into her dashing Army private, Douglas May of Detroit, Michigan. They were married in 1955 and moved to West Lafayette, IN where Doug finished at Purdue University and their first of seven children was born. She was to move many times in her life, including Climax and Leadville (one of the favorite places she lived), Colorado; Illinois; Ohio; Missouri; Connecticut and then five years as a Lutheran missionary wife and mother of their growing family in Quezon City, The
Philippines. Everywhere they lived she created a beautiful and welcoming home. Upon returning to the US, the family moved to Troy, New Hampshire for seven years before moving to Navajo and then Albuquerque, New Mexico. She loved children and often substitute taught in elementary and middle schools.
After divorcing in 1983, she enrolled at the University of New Mexico where she graduated in 1991 with a degree in English the same day as her youngest son Chris graduated from UNM with an engineering degree. She worked at UNM for a number of years. In retirement she worked at a gift shop in Bernalillo, NM which she enjoyed immensely. She had a gift for arranging things to create beautiful spaces. She also shared her love of reading at the Placitas (NM) Library. She was well loved by everyone who met her. Her oldest daughter recalls that her friends only came over to see her mom. From early in life Ramona wanted to be a writer and left many snippets of beautiful remembrances of childhood, poems, and picturesque descriptions of places visited. She was a prolific letter writer; something many remember her for.
Ramona was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Edward and Lester, and sisters-in-law Betty Anne and Jeanne. She is survived by her ex- husband Doug and seven children (her pride and joy and life’s dedication): Cathlena (Rodney) Burr, Edward (Janice), Timothy, Eric (Bonnie), Philip (Brooke), Christopher and Karen (David) Sherrets, 17 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren, three nieces and 2 nephews and their families, as well as sister-in-law Vickie.
She leaves behind many who loved her, especially her church family at Grace Lutheran Church in Albuquerque, NM. Her faith was paramount and she is resting with her Savior Jesus Christ in heaven where “…God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4
A memorial service will be held on Friday, September 12, 2025 at 1pm at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 13249 S. Redwood Rd, Riverton, UT. The graveside service will be at 2:30pm at Elysian Gardens, 1075 E. 4580 S., Salt Lake City, UT.
What’s your fondest memory of Ramona?
What’s a lesson you learned from Ramona?
Share a story where Ramona's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Ramona you’ll never forget.
How did Ramona make you smile?
