Rex May

Jimmy "Rex" May of Abilene, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend, went to be with the Lord on November 21, 2024, at the age of 73, after a valiant fight with Parkinson's Disease. His strength, resilience, and kindness left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him.

Rex was born on August 1, 1951, in Cisco, Texas, to Robert "Bob" and Anna May. He grew up in Abilene, where he graduated from Abilene High School and went on to pursue a career that combined his gifts for problem-solving with his love for helping others. Blessed with the mind of an engineer and a passion for working with his hands, Rex found his calling as a medical equipment service technician. His skills, patience, and ingenuity served not only his family but the countless people he helped over the years.

In September 1975, Rex married his beloved Vicke May, beginning a marriage that would span nearly five decades and be a shining example of love, loyalty, and partnership. Together, they built a home full of laughter, learning, and love, raising two daughters in Abilene and teaching them the importance of family, hard work, and kindness.

A true jack of all trades, Rex pursued many hobbies, and his talents knew no bounds. He was a gifted woodworker, building everything from a dollhouse for his young daughters to furniture for them as newlyweds, and even a cabin for family gatherings. Rex was also skilled in welding, electrical work, and auto repair-there was nothing he couldn't fix or improve with his hands and mind. But of all his passions, his love for animals was perhaps the most defining. We often referred to him as the "dog whisperer."

Rex's legacy lives on in his wife, Vicke, of Abilene; his daughter Shelly Kunkle and her husband Joe, along with their children, Taylor and Grant, of McGregor; and his daughter Heather Spinks and her husband Rusty, along with their daughters, Reagan and Paige, of North Richland Hills. He is also survived by his nephew Ronnie May and niece Misty Jarvis. Rex is predeceased by his parents, Bob and Ann May; his brother, Randall May; and his mother-in-law, Margaret Caraway.

Rex was a man of strength, resilience, and boundless generosity. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched, the family he cherished, and the many things he built with love. His warmth, wisdom, and gentle spirit will be deeply missed but forever remembered.

Family request in lieu of flowers, memorials to be given to The Assistance Fund; tafcares.org