Kevin May, who taught at Regis University and was a consultant in leadership training and a former University of Colorado football player, died June 13 after a five-year battle with colon cancer. He was 41.
A service is planned at 1 p.m. Friday at King Baptist Church, 3370 Ivy St. He will lie in state there from noon to 1 p.m.
Viewing will be today from 4 to 9 p.m. at Caldwell-Kirk Mortuary, 2101 Marion St.
May was founder and president of Ascend Human and Organizational Development Co., aimed at teaching people how to uncover their leadership abilities.
He was an affiliate professor at Regis in the master’s of nonprofit management program.
Kristy Martin, a former student of May’s, said he taught class members to determine “what is holding us back from moving forward” and led the class to assess their emotional journeys.
“Kevin was always fully committed with his heart, intelligence and passion,” said Lauren Casteel, vice president of the Denver Foundation’s philanthropic partnerships.
“He had a sincere interest in what was going on around him and could pick up the nuances in what people said,” Casteel said. May was on the foundation’s advisory committee.
He specialized in teaching those in nonprofits to be inclusive and diverse.
“He was unbelievably good at what he did,” said Mike Johnson, who works with Project PAVE (Promoting Alternatives to Violence Through Education).
May was active in Democratic politics and campaigned door-to-door for Barack Obama, said his wife, Angela May. “He was so glad our daughters will never know a time when it wasn’t possible for an African-American to be anything he wants,” she said.
Kevin D. May was born in Montclair, Calif., on Dec. 2, 1967, and graduated from Pomona (Calif.) High School. He got a football scholarship to the University of Colorado and played guard for the Buffaloes from 1986 to 1990.
One Sunday, he spotted Angela Gosha at King Baptist Church. About a week later he saw her at a club, she said. “Can you believe he said, ‘Don’t I know you from somewhere?’ ” she recalled. “I said, ‘Yeah, right.’ He replied, ‘I saw you at church.’ ” They were married on June 26, 1993.
May earned his bachelor of science and business administration degree at CU and later earned a master’s in nonprofit management.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughters, Aisha, 14, and Bria, 15; his mother, Patricia Caraway, and sister, Pamela Mshana, both of Ontario, Calif.; and his grandmother, Malinda Spotville of Denver.
Virginia Culver: 303-954-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com
