Obituary of Fred Clay

SHREVEPORT, LA?Fred Hunter Clay, Jr. passed away on Sunday, August 30, 2009. Known by his many friends as simply ?Mr. Fred,? he was a sensitive and loving individual, dedicated to his family, and always willing to reach out and assist anyone, who he felt was in need. It could be said ?Mr. Fred? never met a stranger. He was especially fond of dogs and would always be willing to take in one more. Fred was born on March 1, 1922, in the town of Selma, LA. He was raised in Hodge, LA, into a close-knit family that included one brother and five sisters. At Jonesboro-Hodge High School, Fred was an outstanding varsity athlete, playing all sports but was especially talented in track, football, and baseball. A special friend and former teammate, Raymond ?Doc? Jeffress, has written several articles in the Jackson Independent relating Fred?s records and accomplishments. These feats include running the 100-yard dash in 9.7 seconds and the 200-yard dash in 21.9 seconds in 1938?both records stood for many years. The 1938 football team finished second in the state with Fred playing halfback. That year he played in the first state high school all-star game. While playing at Northwestern State University, a neck injury prematurely ended his football career. NSU Coach Harry ?Rags? Turpin stated Fred was the ?greatest all-around athlete I ever coached.? In 1994, Fred was inducted into the ARK-LA-TEX Sports Track & Field Hall of Fame. Fred enlisted in the U. S. Navy during WWII and served in the pacific theatre as a radioman on PBY Catalina reconnaissance aircraft. Fred was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Louise Flournoy Wilcox Clay; parents, Fred Hunter Clay, Sr. and Hazel Pearl Kennedy Clay; brother, James Basil Clay; and, sisters, Hazel Clay Smyth and Ruth Clay Eaton. He is survived by his daughter, Mary Margaret Clay Walmsley and husband, Hugh Brian Walmsley; and, one grandson, Clay Brian Walmsley, all of Greenwood, LA. Also, Fred is survived by sisters, Merna Clay Brashear of Hodge, LA, Marjorie Clay Stanks of Michawaka, IN, Faye Clay Cox of Jonesboro, LA, and numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank the staff of the Northwest Louisiana War Veterans Home especially Dr. Roy Flenniken and all of Wing Four for the professional and devoted care that Fred received while residing there for the last sixteen months. In addition, Dr. Wen Liu and his staff are truly appreciated for their caring and dedicated attention in all his hospitalizations during the last few years of his life. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 2, in St. Mark?s Episcopal Cathedral with The Very Reverend Dr. Jacob W. Owensby, Dean, officiating. Interment will follow in the Cathedral Columbarium. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Jude Children?s Research or to the charity of their choice.