ROCHELLE — Mary Jeanne Lingenfelter May passed away Aug. 17, 2019. She was born in Aurelia, Iowa, July 9, 1923, to Fred Bondurant and Mary Helen (Graham) Lingenfelter.
She attended grade school in Mitchellville and Des Moines, Iowa, and then graduated high school in Bondurant, Iowa, in June 1941. That fall, Jeanne entered Drake University in Des Moines where she met her future husband, Phil W. May, Jr. She also became a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority at Drake University.
Jeanne and Phil were married Feb. 10, 1944, at the University Church of Christ in Des Moines. At that time, Phil was in the Army Air Corps and flew the P-40 fighter plane. Following WWII, Jeanne and Phil moved to Phil’s hometown of Rochelle, where they became active in the community and raised their family.
Despite the demands of family, Jeanne was always an active volunteer. She was a Rochelle Community Hospital Board Member and a hospital Auxiliary member where she served as president. Jeanne helped start the hospital gift shop and volunteered there for many years. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and served three times as Chapter Regent, a Division Director, and State Recording Secretary from 1997 - 1999.  Jeanne was a member of the PEO Sisterhood since 1951 and three times served as its president. Other organizations she was active in were the Rochelle Service Club, the League of Women Voters, Campfire Girls and she became a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow. Jeanne was always ready to lend a helping hand and her volunteerism over the years has greatly helped many organizations, people and causes in Rochelle. She was an active lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church.
Jeanne loved her home, family, friends and community and pets, but she also loved to travel.  Jeanne and Phil were fortunate enough to have taken several wonderful trips during their marriage. They traveled to Sweden, England, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Canada, and the Panama Canal plus trips to many of our states. Phil was the organizer of the trips and Jeanne the willing travel partner.
Jeanne also worked for many years as a Real Estate Broker with May Realty and served a term as treasurer for the Ogle County Realtor Board. She enjoyed working as a Realtor because she said it offered her an opportunity to meet and help new people.
Jeanne and Phil had three children, Phillip W. (Joan) May III of Durango, Colorado, James Frederick (Merilyn) May of Rochelle, and Deborah (Steve) May Scherer of Los Angeles, California. Grandchildren are Phillip W. May IV, John Cory May, Rachael Scherer, and Dr. Benjamin Scherer. Step-grandchildren are Dana Ptucha and Jay Taft. Great-grandchildren are Taylor May, Aiden Redsteer, Devon Guerra, Leo Jellen, Jacob Scherer and Maxwell Scherer, plus great-great-grandchildren, Salena Guerra and Liam May. Step great-grandchildren include Bricen Babcock, Zachery Taylor, Haley Taft, Trey Taft, Roxy Taft, Tara Ptucha and Tessa Ptucha, plus great-great step grandsons, Graham Taylor and Quinn Taylor. Jeanne also had many wonderful nieces and nephews that she loved dearly. She was especially close to niece, Anne Avery of Montreal, Canada.
Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Helen Lingenfelter; her husband, Phil W. May Jr.; and her brother, Dr. John Lingenfelter of Kingman, Arizona.
Cremation care is provided by the Unger-Horner Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 400 N. Sixth St. in Rochelle.
Memorials may be directed to the Rochelle Community Hospital Auxiliary, the Rochelle Senior Center, or the First Presbyterian Church of Rochelle.
A private family service to celebrate her life will be held at a later date.
Visit www.ungerhorner.com to sign the online guest book.