Wilfrid Reid May was born April 20, 1896 at Carberry, Manitoba. His father owned & operated A.E. May & Co. Carriages and Implements. The family moved to Edmonton in 1902, arriving by train at Strathcona, travelling by horse & wagon to the Saskatchewan River where they took Walters Ferry to Edmonton – the trip from Strathcona to Edmonton took a full day – you can drive it now in 5 minutes!

On the way to Edmonton the family visited family friends. 3 year old Mary Lumsden was told to say hello to her cousin Wilfrid – she tried but the name came out “Woppie”, which was soon shortened to “Wop” and the name stuck for the rest of his life.