Unless memory fails me,the June 5th 2023 death of David C.
Farrell (born June 14th 1933) has not been noted here,
though it received substantial press coverage.

In the line of chief executives of May Department Stores,
Farrell followed founder David May(1848-1927),his son
Morton J. May(1881-1968),the latter's son Morton D. May
(1914-1983),Stanley J. Goodman(1910-1992),and David
E. Babcock(1914-2001).

When Babcock was in charge,the company's annual reports
(notable for the candid rather than institutional-headshot
photos of board members) had a curious practice...after
the list of board members by name and "principal occupation",
the list of corporate officers down to vice president (which
was followed by lists of "elected vice presidents",and then
"appointed vice presidents",who apparently did not qualify
as corporate officers) had every single name except that of
Wilbur D. May (1898-1982),youngest son of the founder,
footnoted,the common footnote being "principal occupation".
Wilbur May's principal occupation on the board list was
given as "ranch operator"...apparently someone wanted to
make a pointed highlight that the vice president title he
had held since 1926 was titular.

When Farrell took over this practice ceased.
His annual letter in due course said "we note with
sadness the death of Wilbur D. May,a son of the founder...
a director from 1919 to 1981 and vice president since 1926."

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

THANKS for this one, Louis; I'd seen word of the death, but I think you're right, there has been a lack of coverage of someone so important to the history of retail. Interesting detail there about the May family name legacy, too!

BRYAN STYBLE/Florida

radioacti...@gmail.com <radioactiveseattle@gmail.com> wrote:
> THANKS for this one, Louis; I'd seen word of the death, but I think you're
> right, there has been a lack of coverage of someone so important to the
> history of retail. Interesting detail there about the May family name
> legacy, too!
>
> BRYAN STYBLE/Florida

I became aware of the earlier parts of this through annual
reports kept in the library of Westchester Community College.
One of them had a quote from David May that I memorized part
of,which if the general story interests you might interest you
as well:

"Roots don't alter no matter how great the growth or how
wide the branching.The sound tree must first be a sound sapling.
We've grown steadily because we've grown straight from the start.
We gave value and kept faith,and so purchasers became customers
and customers became friends.And there you have the secret of any
business success in a nutshell.

"Value is a combination of quality,style,and appropriateness...

....Watch us grow."

(It was presented as two paragraphs plus the "Watch us grow",
I memorized the first,shorter paragraph and only the first
sentence of the second).

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.