It has often been said that the best legacy you can leave when you exit planet Earth is the “legacy that will continue through all those lives you touched along the way.” And, this is the legacy of William Wimberley “Bill” May, who purchased The Mississippi Sun in 1954.
We all have to admit that we look forward to each Thursday for the opportunity to read the latest Tallahatchie County news that has been reported by the McFerrin family for years, but do we ever think about the early days of The Sun-Sentinel and the vision of one man that still brings us this weekly Tallahatchie County news update.
Bill May was born in Meridian on Sept. 14, 1924. He graduated from Meridian High School and attended Perkinston Junior College before joining the U.S. Navy in 1943. His military tour led him to California and on to Notre Dame for officer training. He continued his travels aboard the USS Lowndes and survived Typhoon Ida when it hit the Sea of Japan. Bill was honorably discharged on May 16, 1946.
As the years passed, Bill graduated with a degree in Institutional and Industrial Management from Mississippi State University. He married Jean Conger, who he met in college in 1948, and the couple moved to Charleston.
Bill immediately began to work to improve the city, served as a city commissioner and was a founding member of the Tallahatchie Country Club. However, Bill May felt that he still had work to do to benefit Charleston and all of Tallahatchie County. In 1954, he purchased The Mississippi Sun, and then purchased The Sumner Sentinel in 1973. May combined both of these publications to form The Sun-Sentinel and focused on reporting the news for all of Tallahatchie County.
In 1975, after the death of Jean, he married Francis Ellis and eventually settled in the Nashville area. Bill had always been an avid outdoorsman, athlete and craftsman who created wooden crosses, churches and other art pieces. He went on to celebrate his 100th birthday, and passed away on Oct. 22, 2024, at his home.
Along the way, Bill met a young man who would share his love of Charleston and passion for helping its residents. Ed Meek began to work for Bill when he was in the sixth grade and very quickly shared his love for reporting the news and journalism. Bill and his wife “became like a second set of parents” to Ed as he matured and transitioned into college. Known for mentoring young students who wanted a career in journalism or photography, Bill began to mentor Ed and instilled in him a love of journalism that continues.
The Ed and Becky Meek Foundation recently gifted a bench to CARE and the community in honor of Bill and Jean Conger May. The bench is appropriately placed to look out over the Charleston Court Square and provide a resting place for members of the community during our Gateway Festival and other CARE activities. We would like to thank The Meek Foundation on behalf of CARE and our community.
As you peruse the pages of this week’s edition of The Sun-Sentinel, take a moment to think about Bill May, his vision that started so many years ago, and his legacy that continues to touch your life today.
