Jean “Jeanie” Elaine (Benda) May, 79, of Greenacres, Fla., passed away on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, at the Amani Place Adult Family Home in Spokane Valley after suffering Parkinsonism for over two years. Jeanie and her twin sister, Janis, were born on May 8, 1945, in Auburn, Wash. Their parents were Martin “Pat” Benda and Emma “Mike” Benda. Pat was in the U.S. Navy on a submarine during World War II at the time of their birth. After Pat was discharged from the Navy the family moved to Lewiston then on to Pierce, where they settled while the girls grew up and graduated from Pierce High School in 1963.

As a teen Jeanie was an avid skier at Bald Mountain near Pierce. She enjoyed driving her 1947 Jeep around town and to the ski hill. She later got a motorcycle to ride. After high school Jeanie and her parents moved to Lewiston and Jeanie went to business school there. She eventually became employed at Potlatch Forest Inc. in their business office printing department.

Jeanie began dating Paul May who also grew up in Pierce and loved skiing as well. They began skiing at ski hills around Spokane where Paul was living. They fell in love and married on July 12, 1969. Jeanie worked in office jobs in the Spokane area for the first few years. In early 1974, they had their first baby girl, Tara, who passed away two days after birth from birth defects. In late 1975, Jeanie gave birth to another girl, Kari, who enlightened the world for Jeanie and Paul. They had a son, Carson, in mid 1977, who further brought joy to the family. The children learned to ski at an early age and that became the family sport.

Jeanie became a stay-at-home mom in the early years of the children. In 1987, Jeanie bought a small part-time business which she renamed Rainbow Candy Company. She became a wholesale distributor of candy sticks to grocery stores. The job allowed her to pick the hours she wanted around the children’s schedule. She kept the business going for 27 years, after planning to try it for a year when she bought it.

Jeanie is survived by her husband, Paul, her twin sister Janis Trenary (husband Mark), daughter Kari Ference, son Carson (wife Sidney), granddaughter Emma Ference (18), grandson Bode May (11) and granddaughter Halle May (8).

A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at Thornhill Valley Funeral Chapel in Spokane Valley. Burial will take place afterward at 2 p.m. at Saltese Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please contribute to your charity of choice.