Robert L. May

1905–1976 (age 71)

Author

Biography

Robert L. May, while working as a copywriter for Montgomery Ward, created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1939 to comfort children and reassure employees, turning a shy reindeer into an enduring emblem of kindness.

May continued to write stories, songs, and verses, staying close to the rhythms of childhood imagination and sharing his gentle characters through books, radio, and live appearances for decades.

Did you know Robert L. May?

Help us tell their story. Share a memory, upload a gravestone photo, or correct any details.

Also buried at St. Joseph Cemetery

Kevin White
1929–2012 (age 83)
St. Joseph Cemetery
Kevin White (1929–2012) served as mayor of Boston from 1968 to 1984 and is buried at St. Joseph Cemetery.
Warren F. Farr
1905–1969 (age 64)
St. Joseph Cemetery
Warren F. Farr (1905-1969) was a Boston resident who lived 64 years.
John Frederick Collins
1919–1995 (age 76)
St. Joseph Cemetery
John Frederick Collins (1919–1995) was a Boston-born politician who served as the city’s mayor during the 1960s.
Louise Day Hicks
1916–2003 (age 87)
St. Joseph Cemetery
Louise Day Hicks (1916–2003) was interred at St. Joseph Cemetery following her years in South Boston.
John J. Tierney
1926–2005 (age 79)
St. Joseph Cemetery
John J. Tierney (1926–2005) was interred at St. Joseph Cemetery after his life.
Gregory Kelley
1944–1961 (age 17)
St. Joseph Cemetery
Gregory Kelley was an American youth whose life was cut short at age 17, leaving limited historical records of his contr...

Other notable authors

Emily Chubbuck
1817–1854 (age 37)
Burial Hill
Emily Chubbuck was an Eaton resident and author who lived from 1817 to 1854 and was buried at Burial Hill.
Caroline Lee Hentz
1800–1856 (age 56)
Philadelphia
Caroline Lee Hentz was an American author and writer born in Lancaster who lived from 1800 to 1856.
Ralph Ellison
Trinity Church Cemetery
American author and literary critic.
Nathaniel Hawthorne
1804–1864 (age 60)
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
American novelist and short story writer known for works exploring themes of sin and morality in Puritan New England.
Washington Irving
1783–1859 (age 76)
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
American author and cofounder of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, famous for writing The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.