Cindy Ann May

Cindy Ann (Webb) May, age 56 of Chandler, OK left this life on July 26th, 2018. She was born on February 11th, 1962, in Pawnee, OK to Bill and Joy Webb. As a child she loved to sing. Joy recalls her singing her first music special in church, Jesus Loves Me, when she was only four years old. A year after, Cindy prayed to receive Christ as her savior at a revival service in Mashum. In school Cindy became very active in her local 4-H and was a natural leader among her peers. Joy remembers the other students often looking to Cindy and asking, “What should we do next?” Her love of cooking also began when she was school-age as she would often get home from school eager to try out a new recipe. Cindy mentioned more than once how she loved having a big brother, Billy Wayne Webb, and that of course he would pick on her around their farm, but she figured out early on that he wouldn’t let anyone else mess with his little sister. Even from a young age she was always very active in her church, including attending Camp Lela, the children’s summer camp hosted by their local association. It was at Camp Lela that Cindy first recognized God’s call on her life to be involved in missions. Cindy graduated from Pawnee High School in 1980 and earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Oklahoma Baptist University. She studied Early Childhood Education and went on to be an Elementary School teacher for 31 years. She taught Kindergarten for five years in Bethal Acres, 3rd Grade for four years in Pawhuska and 4th grade for twenty-two years in Perkins, OK. Cindy had great compassion for her students and loved to make learning fun with special activities and projects for her classroom. As a student teacher she wrote out a prayer on a small note card, “Father, Help me to treat each child that I meet today with the same love and respect you use when dealing with me.” She kept that note card in her desk each and every year she taught. Cindy met her husband, Albert May in the fall semester of her junior year at OBU. She says that when Albert walked into her General Psychology class and took a seat near her, God said, “You should get to know that guy.” So she did what so many people know her for… she began baking. She started making cookies and giving them to him in that class. A few weeks into the semester as they took their seats she mentioned that she had a flat tire. Albert recalls that he didn’t really want to change her tire, but that he would have felt bad saying no since he had been eating her cookies. He changed her tire and to thank him, she took him to Braum’s for ice cream. Their daughter recalls their life-long, good-natured debate on whether or not the tire went flat naturally or if she let the air out. The best part of the story is that Cindy knew how to change a tire. Her father made sure to teach her before she left for college, but one of Cindy’s favorite phrases was, “You don’t have to say everything you know.” Albert and Cindy were married August 11th, 1984 at Mashum Baptist church, the church where Cindy grew up. It was a late summer wedding because Cindy served as a counselor at Camp Nunny Cha-Ha. At that time you could not serve as a counselor at the all girls summer camp if you were married, so when Albert proposed she asked if they could wait until August so she could serve there for one more year. Cindy and Albert served as a team, wherever they were. Albert’s primary occupation throughout their marriage was as a pastor and Cindy was the perfect companion to him throughout his ministry. Al is the “Big Picture” guy, seeking the Lord for what He would have them do, and Cindy provided the planning and organization necessary to see it through. They leaned on and encouraged each other as they stepped forward in faith in God’s plans. On December 31st , 1986, Cindy gave birth to their daughter, Karen Ann (May) Privott. In a letter written to Karen the day before her wedding Cindy recalls the night she was born. “Your eyes were bright and wide and you managed to turn your head to look around. I remember being amazed at the gift that God had given us, knowing you were bright and interested in the world around you, and wondering about your future.” Cindy and Karen had an incredibly close and loving relationship that transitioned to a deep friendship as Karen got older. Cindy was always Karen’s biggest fan and encouragement in whatever pursuit life brought her. She was so very excited to welcome Zachary Privott into the family as he and Karen were wed on April 5th, 2014. She personally and joyfully catered a full meal for the wedding reception of over 300 people with the help of her closest friends. Cindy’s life was marked by the way she served people. She was involved in mission work all her life including her local community as well as long-term commitments to several international locations. Abroad, Cindy served in Estonia, Rome, Honduras, India, and Mexico. Near the end of her life Cindy was heavily involved in World Focus Partners (formerly Asia International Mission), the organization that led the May family to serve in India beginning in 2012. Her husband was appointed the organization’s director in 2014 and as has already been mentioned, they did everything “together”. Cindy was incredibly sad when it became clear that the May’s would no longer be allowed in country of India, as officials had become aware and uncomfortable with the work they were doing. However, Cindy was always one to look to the Lord and ask, “What do we do next?” In the months before her death she was very excited about the new direction World Focus Partners was taking which was leading she and Albert back to the country of Estonia. A mission trip is being planned for the summer of 2019 and she was already anxiously working on the organization of it. In her last years on this earth she gladly welcomed the role of becoming an “Ahma.” Her first grandchild Joshua Allen Privott was born June 5th, 2015 and her second, Reagan Ann Privott was born February 6th, 2018. Cindy served her daughter and son-in-love as often as she could by helping with the kids, playing with them, rocking them and reading to them. She especially enjoyed baking cookies and playing play-doh. Cindy would often ask to do the hard jobs like changing diapers and giving baths because she genuinely loved serving her family. Cindy is survived by her husband, Albert May; her Daughter and “Son-In-Love”, Karen and Zachary Privott; her grandchildren Joshua and Reagan Privott; her mother Joy Webb; brother and sister in-law, Billy and Janet Webb; her nephew and nieces, Kevin, Krystal and Kim as well as their spouses and multiple children; also by multiple cousins and their extended families. Cindy is preceded in death by her father, William George Webb and multiple aunts and uncles. Her funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church in Chandler, OK at 10:00 AM on Monday, July 30th 2018. After the funeral everyone is invited to share lunch with the family at the Route 66 Interpretive Center because Cindy would have loved to get everyone together for a good meal and conversations. Flowers are appreciated or donations can be made in her name to World Focus Partners at www.supportaim.org or by sending a check to World Focus Partners, PO BOX 1597, Stillwater, OK 74076. Cindy's family will be receiving friends on Sunday, July 29, 2018, at Parks Brothers Funeral Chapel in Chandler, 4:00PM to 7:00PM....