David Lynn May

David Lynn May, age 47 of Austin, Texas, died Friday, February 21, 2025. Born in Camarillo, California on August 3, 1977 to loving parents, Dennis and Rachel May. David had an older half sister, Deni and 14 months later, David was blessed with a younger brother, Brian.

David spent his early childhood in Lancaster and Oxnard, California. At age 9. David and his family moved to Thousand Oaks, California. That was a wonderful time — living on a street with so many other boys. All the boys were on the same baseball team and the Mays had a swimming pool which was often filled with neighborhood friends. David and Brian each had paper routes and would often get their tips paid in coins. They had a cardboard bank divided into 3 slots - 40% savings, 10% tithing, and 50% spending. One day both boys went to the bank with their bags of coins to deposit into their saving accounts. Brian went first and the clerk said “Oh, is this for your college?” Brian replied, “No, for my mission!” David went next and the clerk said “Is this for your Mission?” David quickly said, “No, this is for my Porsche.”

After living in Mesa, Arizona for three years, in 1992 the Mays moved to Austin, Texas where David and Brian attended Westlake High School. After graduating Westlake in 1995, David attended Southwest Texas University (now Texas State). In 1996, David was called to the Naples, Florida mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The night before David’s mission farewell in church, he had the special privilege of baptizing his father, Dennis into the church. This created a special bond they have always shared. David loved his mission, his companions, and all the people he was able to teach. Early on his mission, in a letter sent home he said, “I love it here in Florida, but then again, I would love it anywhere I would be called to serve”. Little did he know how true that would prove to be. About a month later, David was sent home for medical reasons. After 7 weeks at home, David was sent to the Houston, Texas mission where he completed a very honorable mission. One story from his mission we loved hearing was about a service project the elders and sister missionaries did. They were painting a member’s house in a less-affluent area. After they had been painting for a while, the members returned home - and they were painting the wrong house! The members actually lived next door..

After retuning from his mission, David completed his schooling with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Southwest Texas University. He always wanted to be a veterinarian, and worked at a vets office for several years. He loved animals and was exceptionally good with them.

Shortly after graduating, he moved to North Austin where he ended up in the Merrilltown Ward - there have been several ward splits since he moved there, so it was probably a different ward at the time.

David served in the Elders Quorum, both as a counselor in the presidency and as a service coordinator. Despite his struggle with health, David always taught that instead of asking "why" we had to deal with certain challenges, we should ask "how" to move ahead and get things done. He was a faithful and optimistic teacher.

David served as a primary teacher for many years. He taught several different classes and dozens of children in the Merrilltown ward. He helped each child feel welcomed by attending baptisms and sending birthday cards to each of them throughout the time he was teaching.

For the past several years he has been working with the Young Men. Many, if not most, of whom were children in his primary classes in prior years. While health concerns limited the activities he could physically participate in, he could always be counted on to plan fun activities such as gospel and Disney trivia nights and arranging miniature catapult wars. Taken as a whole, David's impact on the youth of the ward and the young men in particular cannot be overstated. He spent years showing an example of faithful service, and bearing testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which many of those youth are now carrying out into the world as full time missionaries. Whatever calling David was serving in, he went about making deep and lasting friendships with those with whom he served. His example will continue to inspire all those who knew him.

David taught school for a short time and loved every moment. He worked with a lot of special needs children and loved them so much. He didn’t view them as different, but as beloved children of our Heavenly Father.

David had no malice in him. He loved everyone. He could see the good in everyone and every situation. He was funny and so quick witted. Most of all, he loved his family and his Savior, Jesus Christ, and his Heavenly Father. He had a strong testimony of the great Plan of Happiness. To quote from David, “I know now (stronger than ever), death is just the separation of the body from the spirit. But the spirit continues to live, and one day we will be resurrected.”

David will be loved and missed by everyone who knew him.

David is predeceased by his paternal grandmother, Norma Jean Ellis Whetstone, and his maternal grandparents, Lynn Ray Baker and Merridy Joyce Atwood Baker. He is survived by his parents, Dennis Jerome May and Rachel Adair Baker May, his brother, Brian Michel (Monica Van Dyke) May and his half-sister, Deni Jo (Johnny) Frazier and nephews and niece, Evan May, Tyler May, Oliver May, Clayton (Maddi Mackey) Frazier and Hannah Frazier.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, March 8, 2025 11:00 AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Heatherwilde building at 700 North Heatherwilde Blvd, Pflugerville, Texas, with a live stream broadcast for those who want to join remotely.