Esther May, age 92, of Brookings, died Monday, October 25, 2004, at the United Retirement Center in Brookings, South Dakota. Funeral services will be 10:30 A.M. Thursday, October 28, 2004, at the First United Methodist Church in Brookings, with interment in Greenwood Cemetery. Visitations are from 4-6 P.M. Wednesday at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings. Esther Loebs May was born May 10, 1912, to Peter and Rosina (Neuharth)Loebs in McPherson County, South Dakota. Esthers parents died in 1918, and she went to live with her mothers cousin in Hosmer, South Dakota. She received her education there. During the Depression she worked in Aberdeen where she lived with a family, helping with the housework and learning to cook and bake. Esther met her husband, Roland May, in Hosmer, where he was a teacher in the local school. They were married October 19, 1934, and lived in Hosmer until 1936 when they moved to Bonilla, South Dakota. From there the family moved to Watertown where Esther did baking in her home for a local grocery store. Soon, she did only special orders. In 1948, the Mays moved to Brookings where she soon had more customers than she could take care of. Her specialty was Christmas cookies and special cakes. She also did some catering. In 1990, after her health began to fail, she cut back on working, and in 1995 she quit baking for others. She then spent her time doing things for neighbors and friends. Roland died January 7, 2004. Esther was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Women and Care Group, Bridge Club, and Literary Club. She was a charter member of the Brookings Hospital Auxiliary. During retirement, she loved to travel, play cards, and follow sports on the radio. Survivors include four children: Rose Marie (Dave) Davison of Northfield, Minnesota, Charles (Deanna) May of Long Lake, Wisconsin, Carol (Gary) Johnson of Ft. Pierre, South Dakota, and Jim May of Phoenix, Arizona; eleven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Edmund, of Aberdeen; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two sisters, and one brother.