Maurice J. 'Maury' May, former president of the United States Harness Writers Association and a member of the organization for 55 years, passed away Dec. 8 in Amherst, N.Y. at the age of 92.

A high school graduate at age 14, May began a 47-year career at the Buffalo News in 1942. He is remembered by colleagues as “the aide who ripped the news flash of the D-Day Invasion off the teletype machine.” After serving in the Navy, he returned to the News and rose through the ranks to become assistant sports editor.

Among his several “beats” during his News career was the strong harness racing circuit of Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs in western New York, where he chronicled the local racing and also kept his readers abreast of area horses and horsemen who did well on the national harness racing scene. “Maury’s Picks” were a longtime feature in the News.

May served the first of his 24 years as an USHWA director in 1966, representing the Western New York Chapter, of which he became president. He was elected national president of USHWA for the 1985-86 term, and received a key to the city from Buffalo mayor James Griffin. He was the Buffalo Area Bowling Council’s Man of the Year in 1983, and in 1997 he was one of the first inductees into the Western New York Baseball Hall of Fame.

May is survived by two sons, Maurice Jr. and Michael; a daughter, Marcia May Farley; a brother, Richard; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his wife, the former Mary Kurch.

There will be no services.