Obituary of Horst G. May

Horst G. May has gone to his reward as he would say. After 95 years, the self proclaimed “happy wanderer” has arrived. “Mit der heimat im herzen die welt umspannen.” With the home in the heart, span the world. This spirit captures Horst May’s life from birth in Sobernheim, Germany to his death in Duluth, Minnesota, October 16, 2019.

After serving in the German army his grandmother concluded he had spent enough time lying around the house and said, “Why don’t you become a doctor?” Horst said “Yes, why not. If she said be a minister, I would have been a minister!” Horst entered medical school in 1945. In 1954 his grandmother said, “Why don’t you go to America?” He landed in Summit, New Jersey for a one-year internship at Overlook Hospital. Horst then continued wandering west to Madison, Wisconsin. Here he fell in love with the midwest and Connie Vander Hoek who would become his wife and life-long best friend. Together as doctor and nurse they worked in Madison until it was time again to wander. The married couple moved to Minneapolis in 1958. Connie worked as a nurse while Horst studied anesthesia. Next it was on to Rock Island, Illinois in 1960 where Dr. May started his 30 year anesthesiologist career. Connie and Horst completed their family in Illinois with children Steffie, Erica and Tom. In 1969, a position opened at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth, Minnesota. Horst recalls standing before the medical review board being asked the question, “Why doctor, do you want to come to Minnesota and practice medicine?” Horst gazed upon the tags the reviewers wore with names like Rasmussen, Gustafson, Gunderson and Peterson and confidently replied, “I’d like my children to grow up in a good Nordic environment.” That was it. Approved!

Horst worked at St. Luke’s Hospital and Superior Memorial Hospital until retiring in 1989. Medicine was never his first love in life, but he felt he did it well. “I think I could have enjoyed anything once I made up my mind” Horst once said. Retirement was shared with family, wandering the midwest, time spent at the YMCA, volunteering, reading, listening to music and wearing out Duluth’s sidewalks. Horst loved to walk and wander. He continued practicing medicine by serving as a staff doctor at the West Duluth Plasma Center.

For all who knew Horst as their doctor, friend or family member will never forget his stories. He lived his life continuously learning and sharing what he learned with others through these stories. Dr. May leaves us with a final prescription: Be compassionate. Everything else in life you can learn. And be a good listener. Try to create the impression that you are not in a hurry -- even if you are.

The family remembers him as Pop. Pop is survived by his ex-wife Connie May; children Stephanie Preckel (Kevin), Erica Rustad and Tom May (Bonnie May); grandchildren Hunter Rustad (Erica Rustad) and Keanna May (Tom and Bonnie May); and great grandchild Erin Rose Rustad (Hunter Rustad and Beth Sokolich).

The family is forever grateful for the loving care Doc received at the Benedictine Health Center’s Westwood Terrace and Marywood living communities. The morning after he passed, Sister Susan DeWitt led a procession of honor surrounded by Horst May’s family and immediate care givers. Everyone joined in to honor and celebrate his life as he would have wanted.