I just found out my dad's World War II crewmate, Sam Clay, died last year. Sam was the flight engineer on a crew of nine on a B-17 Flying Fortress based in Southeast England. They flew 35 missions in 1944. I met him at his home a few years ago in Hammond, Louisiana. It makes me very sad to know he's gone.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008 9:32 AM CDT
Published in the Daily Star, Hammond, La.
Death Notices: Sam Austin Clay Jr., 88, Hammond, died Aug. 3; funeral, 10:30 a.m. today, First United Methodist Church, Hammond; interment, Greenlawn Mausoleum, Hammond; Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home, Hammond.
Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home
Sam A Clay Jr. April 16, 1920 - August 3, 2008
Obituary: Sam Austin Clay, Jr., 88 years old of Hammond, LA, died Sunday, August 3, 2008 at the Richard Murphy Hospice House in Hammond, LA.
He was born on Friday, April 16, 1920 in Clarksville, TX. He had been a resident of Hammond since 1965 where he worked as a finance manager for Community State Bank. Prior to living in Hammond he and his family lived in Bogalusa, LA where he was a finance manager at CIT Corporation. He was married to the late Martha LeDuke Clay for 49 years. Sam was a longtime member of the Oak Knoll Country Club and he enjoyed playing golf for many years. Mr. Clay was a member of First United Methodist Church of Hammond and a volunteer with the Mary Bird Cancer Center and Hospice.
Surviving are his daughter and son-in-law, Sherry Clay and Doug Sommers of Ponchatoula, LA; granddaughter, Betsy Compton Corbett of Alpharetta, GA; grandson, Christopher Ducombs of Hammond, LA; 2 brothers, Ted Clay and Guy Clay; 3 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his wife, Martha LeDuke Clay; parents Sam and Bula Parsons Clay and 3 siblings Blanch, Jamie and Dot.
Friends will be received Tuesday, August 5, 2008, at the Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home, Hammond, LA from 6:00pm until 8:00pm and Wednesday, August 6, 2008, at the First United Methodist Church of Hammond from 9:00am until service time. Services will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Hammond, Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 10:30am with Rev. Joe Donakey and Rev. John Johns officiating. Interment will follow in the Greenlawn Mausoleum, Hammond, Louisiana. An on-line Guestbook is available at http://www.harrymckneely.com
