Esther Shay

Dec. 19, 1923–May 1, 2022

 

Esther Clark Shay, 98, went home to Heaven on May 1, 2022.

She was born on Dec. 19, 1923, to the late John and Sarah Hamm Clark in Soldier, Kentucky. She was one of 14 children.

She is preceded in death by her husband, James Edwin Shay.

While married they lived in many places throughout the United States and Europe while he served in the U.S. Army.

They retired to Ironton in the mid 1960s.

After her husband’s death, she worked in personnel at Sear’s in Ashland, Kentucky, where she retired.

She was a member of Sedgwick United Methodist Church. She was very active at church teaching Sunday School, VBS and devoted to the missions of the United Methodist Women.

Her hobbies included water colors, stamp collecting, crocheting, needle point, reading, cooking and socializing with her group of friends playing Hand & Foot and Dominoes.

She loved to have her family around her and cooking a big breakfast. Her greatest joy was spending time with her grands and great-grands!

In later years, she moved from her home in Green Valley to live in Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia, with her son, David. She made many friends in the Skylake Community and the Laurel Lodge Assisted Living Home.

She continued to play Hand & Foot and Bingo up until a week before her death.

She is survived by her two sons, James Edwin Shay Jr. (Judy Kelly), of Land O Lakes, Florida, and A. David Shay (Mindy Roush), of Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia; grandchildren, Amy Shay Fulmer, Jason David Shay, Joy Shay Baber, Zachary Dean Shay and Martin Edwin Shay: great-grandchildren, Carly Fulmer, Ethan Shay and Logan Shay; sister, Bess Clark Gerber; and many nieces and nephews.

She will have a family graveside service at the Clark Family Cemetery in Soldier, Kentucky where she will be laid to rest next to her husband.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to an organization near and dear to Esther’s heart, Red Bird Mission, rbmission.org.