By Staff
REMEMBERING Randy Hodges of the Martin Community thumbs through an old scrapbook while reminiscing about the days he and Richard May played baseball and basketball together. Photo by Carisa McCain / The Meridian Star
By Steve Gillespie/staff writer
Jan. 28, 2002
Richard May's memory still lives in the hearts and minds of people who knew him, and of many who did not.
Today at West Lauderdale Middle School, a dedication was held to honor May, a graduate of the high school, who lost his life on May 17, 1969 in Vietnam fighting in the U.S. Army.
The school, which was without a flag, acquired its new flag through U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., The flag was flown over the U.S. Capitol on May's birthday, Oct. 28.
The school's softball complex and the road that leads to it are named after May as well, who was very active in sports. The West Lauderdale Booster Club has also presented the Richard May Award to an outstanding athlete for more than 30 years.
A close friend and teammate of May's was Randy Hodges of the Martin Community, now principal of Choctaw Central High School in Philadelphia.
May graduated a year ahead of Hodges, in 1966, but the two played together on one of their school's state championship basketball teams.
Hodges remembers hearing the news of May's death in the war.
The son of the late Earl and Adria May, Richard attended Collinsville High School until consolidation. The youngest of three children, he was the only one to attend West Lauderdale.
To this day, she still won't watch war movies on T.V.