Barbara Virginia May

Barbara Virginia (Rice) May, 86, of Gettysburg passed away Wednesday, May 28, 2025 after a brief stay at SpiriTrust Lutheran, The Village at Utz Terrace in Hanover. Born April 12, 1939 in Biglerville, PA, the youngest daughter of fifteen children of the late Ralph E. and Margaret A. (Cluck) Rice, earning her the nickname “Babe”.

Barb graduated from Biglerville High School in 1957 and married Jim on July 6, 1958. She was a homemaker and worked on her sister’s farm, when her children were young. In the 1970’s, she started working at the Penn State Fruit Research Laboratory and retired from there. Barb was a lifetime member of Benders Evangelical Lutheran Church in Biglerville and volunteered at the Gettysburg Thrift shop for years.

Barb will be remembered for her kindness, unwavering integrity, and love for her family. She loved the simple things in life such as gardening, Sunday family meals together, short visits to the beach and other surrounding attractions, sitting on the deck, and spending time with her family. Voted best athlete her senior year, Barb loved cheering for her grandchildren’s sporting events and watching Penn State games, North Carolina Tarheels, and her beloved Baltimore Orioles.

She is survived by her loving husband, James H. May, with whom she shared sixty-six years of marriage; daughter, Susan B. Grace-Wineberg and husband, Mark; son, Brian J. May and wife, Lori, all of Gettysburg; six grandchildren; Katelyn Dahlen (Christopher), Kelsey Reneker (Taylor), Dr. Kyle May (Katelyn), Drew May, Luke May (Marit), and Sophie May; step-grandchildren, Nick Wineberg (Kristyn) and Katelyn Wineberg and two great-grandchildren, Trace and Reid Dahlen. Also survived by a sister, Joyce A. Wertz of Aspers and many nieces and nephews.

Professional services have been entrusted to Dugan Funeral Home, Inc., 111 S. Main Street, Bendersville. Friends and family are invited to a viewing will on Monday, June 2, 2025 from 10am until time of funeral service at 11am. Rev. Ryan Heycock will officiate the funeral. Barb will be laid to rest at Biglerville Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions to Benders Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1385 Rentzel Road, Biglerville, PA 17307. To leave a condolence for the family, please visit DuganFH.com.