IN REMEMBRANCE
IN REMEMBRANCE : RUSSELL T . MAY , MD JULY 7 , 1942-DEC . 25 , 2020
It has been stated that the most important part of the epitaph
is not the date and not even the name , but rather the hyphen between the dates . This seemingly small dash denotes what transpired during the dates of birth and demise . It is apparent that Russ crammed that small dash with a great deal .
I was fortunate to know and work with Russ for most of his 44 years in practice and hands down he was one of the nicest persons I ’ ve ever known . He had absolutely no pretense about him . What you saw , was what you got . He was so proud of his humble beginnings in Junction City , Kentucky and how fondly he remembered his loving and hardworking parents . For some reason , no one knows for sure , he kept an old hammer in his office which once belonged to his grandmother , Daisy May . This must have had a special meaning to him , and probably kept him grounded during all of those years in practice .
He honored his family by receiving his MD degree from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine , class of 1968 . After one year of a medical internship , he entered the US Army and served proudly in Vietnam . From there , he finished his training in internal medicine at Saint Joseph Infirmary and practiced nonstop for the next 44 years . Russ and I practiced most of those years together without any written contracts or legal documents . Only a handshake was needed .
His military service was a source of honor and pride to Russ , but he did not speak much of his service or accomplishments . It was not until his death that I learned of his true heroism while serving in Vietnam . He was awarded two Bronze Stars for Service and Valor as well as a Purple Heart . Russ , in his humble way , kept these honors mostly to himself .
As mentioned , Russ was very down to earth and treated everyone as equals . His patients loved him for his relaxed and reassuring way . They always left their office visit feeling a bit better than when they arrived . He has certainly been missed .
His office staff loved working with him , as he was a natural jokester pulling antics ( often at his own expense ). He kept work fun and bright for all . One never knew what he would pull : He might bring a duck call into the office and “ converse ” with the staff with their own duck calls . I especially liked him wearing his fishing hat ( like Lt . Col . Blake from MASH ) as only one of his clever antics of the day .
Russ was a self-educated artist , art collector and antique dealer . He liked nothing better than going to antique malls looking for that elusive piece of art or antique which would make him rich . He never found it , but his enjoyment was evident by all who knew him . He kept a booth at the Mellwood Antique Mall , but never sold much . He just thought that it was a good place to store his art . He was quite an accomplished painter , but this he reserved for his family and close friends .
His other loves were golf and horse racing . He usually did very well at the track whenever I was in his company , but never well enough to quit his day job . Although he was a very accomplished golfer in his younger years , he slacked off later because of work and other interests , but not before imparting the game to his sons , Greg and Brian .
Of all of Russ ’ s interests , none was as important or more intense than his family . He , and Kay , his lovely wife of 43 years , raised six beautiful and successful children : Andrea , Susan , Russ , Greg , Brian and Lauren . They have seven grandchildren to whom Russ was devoted . They have certainly inherited a legacy from their grandfather which they will cherish and profit from .
Although the dates on Russ ’ s epitaph are too close together , that dash , although small , is filled to the brim with love for his family and friends , good deeds , lives enhanced through medicine , art , antiques , horses and golf . All of us who knew Russ are better for that experience and will forever remember his legacy .
-Albert B . ( Cap ) Hoskins , III , MD , MACP
Dr . May was a GLMS member for 47 years .
28 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE