Ronald Dale May

Mr. Ronald Dale May, 73, departed this life Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021.

He was born in Ellijay, to the late Bernard Dale and Retha Tankersley May.

He is survived by loving wife of 48 years, Gale Harper May; son, Linsey May and wife, Amanda May; grandchildren, Tyson May and Paisley May; aunts and uncle, Newell and Alice May and Jean Woodring; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

He graduated Gilmer High School in 1966 and attended technical college in Atlanta for two years. After graduating, he worked for a large company in Dalton.

A company in Chattanooga, Tenn., contacted him to come for more training on managing a data center in Blue Ridge, and after his training was complete, he opened a data center in Blue Ridge, where he did all the computer work for banks in north Georgia for five years.

A company in Chattanooga bought the company and offered him a job to stay on and work, but because he had planted a young apple orchard, he didn’t take the job.

He went to real estate school and started selling real estate and growing apples which he dearly loved. He was one great salesman.

He operated his orchard and three smaller orchards for many years. He was president of the Georgia Mountain Apple Growers Association for several years. He was a devout sportsman who loved to fish and hunt. It was a lifelong passion for him. He hunted in many places including Canada and has several nice trophies from his adventures.

He and Gale traveled the world with much love and enjoyment of the different cultures from other countries. They cruised Alaska at least six times, enjoyed a 21-day country cruise in Europe, riverboat cruises in Norway, Sweden, Amsterdam and Paris. Linsey enjoyed the trips too. They were able to see every state in the USA.

He was loved by all who knew him with his outgoing personality and witty way. If you ever met him, you never forgot that Southern accent. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. God blessed his life with lots of love and pleasure, and he lived it to the fullest until about four years ago when his health began to decline and his ability to get around diminished.

God took Ronald and his faithful best friend Hoot together. His friends and family await the day we see his big joyful smile again, but we know he is in a better place with no more pain and suffering.

Services to celebrate the life of Ronald Dale May will be at held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, from Pleasant Grove Baptist Chruch with the Rev. Dan Rosser and the Rev. Jeff Phillips officiating.

Cremation services of Georgia is in charge of arrangements.