Maxwell (Max) Dennis May, 18, of Windham, Ohio, peacefully passed away on June 6, 2023 after living with a glioblastoma for the past three years.
Born to Mike and Stephanie May on July 10, 2004, Max began his love for athletics early with swim lessons and T-ball. Throughout his early years, he participated in baseball, basketball and football. Although basketball was his love, at James A. Garfield High School, he also ran cross country and played baseball. In addition to being involved in sports, he enjoyed being Vice President of The National Honor Society, Math Club, Chess Club and participating in Model UN. He loved watching all sports and could cite facts and discuss just about any sport. He could not imagine someone not loving to read! He was an avid reader who always had a book in hand and two or three on the side. Even at 18, he still loved building Legos! His largest set built was the Titanic with 9,000 pieces. Math was his most intriguing subject in school every year, but he loved learning new things and facts, so anytime he was learning was great for him. There was not a puzzle challenge that he could not master. Max did not like to draw extra attention to himself, so to those just meeting him he may have seemed reserved, but to his family and friends he shared many conversations and laughs. He showed kindness to others, had a strong work ethic, and loved making witty comments for a laugh.
Max graduated from James A. Garfield in May 2023 with an honors diploma, in the top ten of his class, and Senior of the Year Award. He had great determination to meet his goals despite the obstacles he encountered. He persevered everyday to be his best while living with the treatments and difficulties of brain cancer. An example of this determination was running the first cross country meet of the season three weeks after his first brain surgery. He enjoyed spending time with family laughing, playing board games and traveling.
Max will be greatly missed by his large caring family, his parents, Mike and Stephanie (Lewandoski) May; his younger sister Zoey and younger brothers Ollie and Rylan; his grandparents Bob and Darlene (Soudan) Lewandoski; aunts and uncles, Larry and Kriss (May) Secaur, Andy and Bitsy (Lewandoski) Grubbs, Kris and Lori (Fellenstein) Lewandoski, Kevin Lewandoski; his many crazy cousins Mike and Lexi (Ohmer) Secaur, Mitch Secaur, Zac and Hannah (Gunter) Grubbs, Nate Grubbs, Kenzie Grubbs fiancé ofLandon Clark, Kaleb Grubbs, Micah Grubbs, Trevor Lewandoski, Hope Lewandoski, Hannah Lewandoski, Tyler Lewandoski, Jaxon Lewandoski, Riley Lewandoski, Chase Lewandoski.
Max was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents Dennis and Aleta (Sue) May.
The family would like to gratefully acknowledge and thank family, friends, James A. Garfield School, the Denise Marie Flaherty Memorial Foundation and the community who called, texted, sent cards, gift cards, food, and helped with house chores and driving during the past three years of Max’s illness. We appreciate the kindness and generosity that everyone has shown us. We appreciate Max’s medical team who used their expertise to help him be his best self throughout his journey. They helped him continue with his sports for many months during his illness.
A celebration of Max’s life will be held, Sunday, June 11, 2023 from 12:30-4:30 at The New Center at NEOMED 4211 OH-44, Rootstown, OH 44272.
Our family would like to say “Thank You” all for your love and kind words.
Care for Max was entrusted to Mallory-DeHaven-Carlson Funeral Home, Garrettsville.
