Joan Marcus May
Joan was born Joan Freya Marcus on August 8, 1943, in Philadelphia, PA, to Henry Ely Marcus and Manya Robbins Marcus. In 1958, the family relocated to Huntsville, AL where her father worked for the US Army Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal. Her family settled in Jones Valley and Joan graduated from Huntsville High School (class of ’61). Joan earned her BA from the University of Alabama (class of ’65), where she was a member of Delta Phi Epsilon. After graduation, she became an elementary school teacher and married L. Michael May of Huntsville. She later earned her first master’s degree, in special education, from the University of Alabama (Birmingham), followed a few years later by a second master’s, in elementary education, from Alabama A&M University.
Joan was known for her spunky, no-nonsense personality and had a rare gift for drawing people into her world of warmth, wisdom, and grace. Above all, she was a teacher—a passionate educator who dedicated over 50 years to shaping young minds. She taught first grade and special education for the first half of her career. She was one of Huntsville’s most cherished and accomplished educators, spending the last 25 years of her career teaching fourth grade at Whitesburg Elementary. Joan was deeply committed to enriching her students’ learning through the arts and sciences, inspiring them with literature, poetry, science and technology. She also spent many years teaching Sunday school at Temple B’nai Shalom, where she also was involved in shaping the curriculum.
Beyond the classroom, Joan’s legacy is her lifelong dedication to the arts. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Joan devoted over 40 years to the Huntsville arts community, most notably serving on the Board of Directors for the Community Ballet Association (CBA). As President from 1991 to 1993, and later as publicity chair for more than ten years, Joan worked tirelessly to elevate ballet in Huntsville. She played an instrumental role in securing funding and promoting performances through print, radio, and television. Her passion and leadership helped grow and evolve the CBA into what is now the professional Huntsville Ballet Company. In recognition of her unwavering contributions, she was honored with the Ballet Laureate Award in 1996.
Joan’s commitment to education and community extended beyond the ballet. She was an educational advisor during the development of the EarlyWorks Museum and Vice President of the Twickenham Study Club. Joan was also an active member of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) and the Piedmont Garden Club. She was an integral member of the B’nai Shalom congregation for most of her life. Joan’s impact on her Huntsville community is immeasurable, and her legacy as an educator, patron of arts, and community leader will continue to inspire generations to come.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents and by her husband of 56 years, CDR L. Michael May, USN (ret.).
Joan is survived by her son, Brett May (Elizabeth) of Palo Alto, CA; her daughter, Robin May Seale (Michael) of Huntsville, AL; three granddaughters (Piper May, Molly May, and May Louise Seale); her brothers Richard Marcus and David Marcus, and a great many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A graveside service will be held on March 9, 2025 at 11:00 am in Maple Hill Cemetery. Following the graveside service, there will be a gathering at Temple B’nai Shalom, 103 Lincoln Street, Huntsville, AL 35801.
In lieu of flowers or other remembrances, charitable donations may be made to Temple B’nai Shalom, mailing address, P.O. Box 2463, Huntsville, AL 35804 (https://www.templebnaisholom.com) or to the Huntsville Ballet, 800 Regal Drive SW, Huntsville, AL 35801 (https://huntsvilleballet.org).
