Roberta May

Mesa, Ariz.

Roberta (Bobbie) Jo May, 83, Mesa, AZ, passed away in the early morning hours of Thursday August 3, 2023. Her loving family was by her side during her final days.

Bobbie was born on September 12, 1939, in Pueblo, Colorado, the daughter of Ray Wiley and Sallie Faye (Freeman) Toomer. During her early childhood years, they lived in various towns across Colorado and her family settled in Pomona, California when she was 11. After high school she attended and graduated from dental hygienist school.

She was once married to Selmer Sartwell and they had six children, Mike, Dave, Georgia, Gayle, Rick and Roy. As a navy family, Bobbie and her family traveled across the country as they were stationed at several naval bases on both the east and west coast. She held several jobs over the years from nursing to business management while raising her six children. In 1989, she married her husband of 34 years, and best friend, Larry May. They resided in Minot for many years before moving to Mesa, Ariz., for the past 10 years.

Bobbie took great pride in her family and “raising her kids right”. She instilled, in her children, a sense of values and a great work ethic, not by what she said but by example. She was a very hard worker, took pride in doing things right, and was always looking for opportunities to help others. Back in the day, her children witnessed her putting together care packages for the troops overseas and in recent years, she participated in various charitable programs with her sister, Jeri. Bobbie was known as a great cook and one of her family’s favorite meals is “Grandma Bobbie’s Tacos”. She was also a good seamstress and made many of her kid’s clothes when they were young. Her grandkids enjoyed getting homemade pajamas for Christmas. She had a skill for decorating cakes and, over the years, has blessed others with beautiful cakes for their special occasions.

Bobbie is preceded in death by her father Ray and mother Sallie, her brothers Ray (Bud) Toomer and Roy Toomer, her sister Robbie Geraldine (Jeri) Wade, her sons David Anthony Sartwell and Elmer Leroy (Roy) Sartwell and grandson Blayne Grabow. She is survived by her sister Doris Burns, her children Michael (Kathy) Sartwell, Georgia (Lance Johnson) Krein, Gayle (Harley) Grabow, Richard (Sheila) Sartwell and 15 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.

The family is honoring Bobbie’s request and will be holding a small, private ceremony.

Published by the Minot Daily News, Aug. 15, 2023.