FORM 4	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549	OMB APPROVAL
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).	STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: January 31, 2005 Estimated average burden hours per response. . .0.5 Filed By Romeo and Dye's Section 16 Filer www.section16.net

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* McNamara William P.	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol The May Department Stores Company -- MAY		6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)     Director                                       10% Owner X Officer (give title below)          Other (specify below) Vice Chairman
(Last)      (First)     (Middle) The May Department Stores Company 611 Olive Street	3. I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (voluntary)	4. Statement for Month/Day/Year 04/01/03
(Street) St. Louis, MO 63101		5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)	7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person     Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)     (State)     (Zip)	Table I — Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans- action Date (Month/ Day/ Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/ Year)	3. Trans- action Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 & 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Follow- ing Reported Transactions(s) (Instr. 3 & 4)	6. Owner- ship Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common								80,000	D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number

FORM 4 (continued) Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conver- sion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Trans- action Date (Month/ Day/ Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/ Day/ Year)

4. Trans- action Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 & 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/ Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 & 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Owner- ship Form of Deriv- ative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exer-cisable

Expira- tion Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Deferred Compensation Plan - Phantom Stock Units

1-for-1

04/01/03

A

1,889

Common

1,889

$19.5268

40,732

D

Common Stock Units

Common

840(1)

I

by trust

ESOP Preference Stock

Common

5,415(2)

I

by trust

Explanation of Responses:

(1) Between February 1, 2002 and March 28, 2003, 30 common stock units were allocated to my May Common Stock Fund account under May's Profit Sharing Plan.
(2) Between February 1, 2002 and March 28, 2003, I acquired 506 common stock equivalents of ESOP Preference Stock in my ESOP Preference Fund account under May's Profit Sharing Plan.

By: /s/ Richard A. Brickson
             Richard A. Brickson, as attorney-in-fact
**Signature of Reporting Person 04/01/03
Date

**Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations.
See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed.
          If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.

                        Power of Attorney



     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and

appoints Alan E. Charlson and Richard A. Brickson, and each or any one of them acting alone, as the

undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full and several power of substitutions, for

the undersigned and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or

all Form 3, Form 4 or Form 5 and any amendments and supplements to those forms, and to file the same

with the Securities and Exchange Commission and with the New York Stock Exchange, granting unto

said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing

requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as

he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or

his or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.  This power of

attorney shall remain in effect until revoked in writing by the undersigned, and any person may rely on its

being in effect until such person actually receives such written revocation.





/William P. McNamara/

William P. McNamara



Date:     2/9/00



State of  Missouri       )

                         )  ss.

County of St. Louis      )



     On this 9th day of February, 2000, before me appeared William P. McNamara, to me known

to be the person who executed the foregoing instrument and acknowledged that he executed the same as

his free act and deed. In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal in the County

and State aforesaid, the day and date first above written.



(SEAL)         /Laurel B. Ebling/

               Notary Public



               My term expires:

                        Laurel B. Ebling

                         Notary Public

                Notary Public, State of Missouri

              My Commission Expires April 15, 2004

                        St. Louis County