Tuesday, May 27, 1969

Gene and Cheryl, my brother and his wife, had their second child, a son, this month. His name will be Kelley Gene. I have not even seen their daughter yet, Kimberley, who is nearly 15 months old. I had not been informed of their expecting a baby until about a week before it came.

A great and respected friend passed away this month. I quote from a tribute written by Ernest L. Wilkinson, president of Brigham Young University:

"The death of Sister Jean Fossum May last Friday is mourned by thousands of Brigham Young University students, as well as administration members and faculty.

"She was a head resident in Stover Hall for ten years, a loyal record for which the University is grateful. But her greatest worth in that position was not in simply holding a job, but in influencing for good the lives of thousands of young men. During that decade it is estimated that about 4,000 students lived in Stover Hall under the supervision of Sister May. And in that time about 2,000 of them went on missions for the Church, many of them as a result of her inspiration and encouragement.

"Sister May did not forget 'her missionaries.' The walls of her apartment were covered with their pictures and she periodically wrote a letter which was mailed to all who were in the mission field. At the time death stayed her hand, she was preparing a letter to be sent to 240 missionaries, all her 'sons.'

"This good woman was not merely earning a living; she was building the kingdom. And although she was not so highly paid nor trained, she had as much influence on the lives of BYU students as any faculty member.

"Two plaques which she had made and mounted in Stover Hall as a constant reminder to her boys speak eloquently of her concern for them. 'Be a gentleman and a true son of Helaman,' states one. The other quotes President David O. McKay: 'Remember who you are and act accordingly.'"

Sister May was like a mother and a friend. I was privileged for a few quick months to be her son, to live in the shadow of her kind influence. Stover Hall was what it was, with its unique atmosphere, because of Sister May. She was a great missionary: not because she was preaching the gospel herself, but because of her influence on and support of thousands of young men who have been or are missionaries, her Stover Rovers.