Anna (Baker) May

Anna Baker May (b. June 20, 1923) passed away in the company of caring nurses at La Vida Llena, Albuquerque, on Wednesday, April 22, 2020, due to complications from Covid-19. A beloved mother and grandmother, wife, sister, and friend, “Granny Annie” will be dearly missed.



Anna was born in Claude, Texas, near Amarillo, where her father owned and operated a Cadillac dealership. One of two daughters, Anna and her sister Mary were adored. During the Depression, her father’s business suffered, so he and his wife, Samuel (“Sammy”) took their girls on a year-long road trip in the western United States. Anna spoke often of her wonderful memories of that trip and throughout her life she treasured long road trips with her children and grandchildren.



Anna attended Texas Tech University, where she met and later married Jesse Ainsworth May, Jr., an engineering student from Clovis, New Mexico. While Jesse served in the Army Corps of Engineers in Japan to help rebuild Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Anna completed her BS degree in Human Sciences in 1945, with a major in Food and Nutrition. At Tech, she also participated in Kappa Kappa Gamma, Cardinal Keys, Phi Upsilon Omicron and the Student Senate. She would continue throughout her life to give her time freely to social and community organizations, especially the First Presbyterian Church in Farmington.



After the war and their graduation, Anna and Jesse settled in Clovis, where they began their family, and where Jesse enrolled in training to become a gemologist. In 1953, the couple moved to Farmington, where Jesse would open J. A. May Jewelers, which he owned and operated until his retirement in 1994. Although Jesse’s name was on front windows and the legal paperwork, the jewelry shop was a true family business, and Anna’s impeccable taste, enduring support, and steadfast presence in the shop and the community helped the store thrive.



Anna was an extraordinary home cook and voraciously curious about food, cooking, and food writing. Her understanding of food science was sophisticated, and she combined the instincts of a great cook with a true passion for sharing delicious meals, and delicious ingredients, with her family and guests. She deeply appreciated art and artists, including jewelers, painters, potters and sculptors, and had keen knowledge and reverence for Native American artists in all media, but especially jewelers. One of Anna’s great joys in life was living in New Mexico, where she loved the landscape and the native artistic traditions.

Anna was a devoted mother and grandmother and kept a spotless house. One of her family’s fondest memories of Anna is that she had absolutely no tolerance for mice. Her dislike of them was legendary, enough to prompt family members near and far to begin giving her tiny mice figurines as gifts; eventually, she would have a collection of dozens, including ceramic and crystal mice, many mouse-themed Christmas ornaments, beaded mice, and felted mice in formal attire. Such was Anna’s personality that she laughed with surprise and glee when presented by family or friends with a new fake mouse.



Anna and Jesse took great pleasure in travel, first for Jesse’s business, and increasingly after his retirement, for pleasure. They drove all over the western states, and whenever the occasion presented itself, they gathered their children together for visits in beautiful locations, including a memorable family visit to Jackson, Wyoming, in 1996 to celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary. It was characteristic of Anna that prior to that trip, she reached out to her children and grandchildren to talk through their favorite foods, and when everyone arrived in Jackson for the vacation, each person had their own special tin of preferred cookies, as well as foods they truly loved on each menu. Anna kept meticulous notes on every topic, ranging from her recipes and to-do lists to her children’s sizes, preferred clothing brands, and favorite books. In many ways, she served as the family historian and record-keeper, one of the many roles for which she will be deeply missed.



Anna was preceded by her husband Jesse, and her son, John. She is survived by her sister, Mary, of Birmingham, AL; her sons, Jesse (Patti), Charles (Gwen); and David (Domenique); grandchildren, Chris, Jessica, John, Eric, Jacob, Grace, Jesse, and Jamie; and great-grandchildren, Maggie, Peyton, Noah, Zoey, and Jackson. Although she passed from this earth outside the company of her loving family, she lived very much in the light and love of her family and her faith. Her memory and her legacy will continue to bless her family and friends.