Cord Byrd: “it is commonly said that a man is known by his work. For half of a century, Mr. Gene May of McLean, VA, was known by the…”

“it is commonly said that a man is known by his work. For half of a century, Mr. Gene May of McLean, VA, was known by the fine homes he built in the Washington area. Mr. May, who died recently of lung cancer, was a builder and a developer, who made an important and lasting impact on this busy, ever- growing, and highly transient region. He was a good man, who touched people with his hard work, his dedication to his profession, and the extra care that he put into the structures that he built. Gene May did not merely build houses; he built homes, and he built more than a thousand of them starting with his first, in 1947. He put a part of himself into each of his endeavors, into each of the homes he built; and as a result, the homes he built reflect his values. Years after he retired, according to the Washington Post, people were still writing to him, praising him for the sturdiness of the homes he had built for them, and thanking him for his superb work. Yet, according to his daughter, his work was not the most important thing in his life. It wasn't even second. His daughter explained that ``the most important thing in his life was his family, followed by his church. And he viewed his work as a way to serve both.'' What a wonderful way to regard one's work. What a contribution all of us could make to our families, our society, and ourselves with such an outlook on life, that our work is a way to serve our family and our Creator.…”