Anita J. Clay
September 17, 1920 — January 29, 2015
Anita Josephine Clay was born on September 17, 1920 to Ingwald and Mary (Neckel) Anderson in Hawarden, Iowa. As a toddler, she moved with her family to Fort Wayne, Indiana where she attended school, graduating from North Side High School with the Class of 1938.
Anita worked for Kroger Grocery and Bakery Company Warehouse in Fort Wayne for eight years. It was during that time that she joined the WAVES division of the United States Navy for two years during World War II. Most of her time in the service was spent at NATC at Memphis, Tennessee.
On March 24, 1947, she was united in marriage to R. Stanley Clay, Jr. while living in Indiana. Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa where they spent two years before settling in Harlan, Iowa. They became parents to three children: Nancy, Bruce, and Terry. In 1957, the family went to Africa for sixteen months, then returned to Harlan.
In 1974, Anita moved to Orlando, Florida and lived there until her retirement seventeen years later. She came back to Harlan and became a member of the Congregational Church of Christ and the Lebanon Chapter No. 8 Order of the Eastern Star. She was also an active volunteer with Myrtue Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. She enjoyed playing bingo and seeing her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Anita became a resident of Elm Crest Retirement Home in Harlan in July of 2013, where she died on Thursday, January 29, 2015 having attained the age of ninety-four years, four months, and twelve days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her daughter Nancy, and grandson Troy.
She is survived by her sons Bruce Clay and his wife Alice of Raleigh, North Carolina and Terry Clay and his wife Joyce of Harlan, Iowa; nine grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; other family members and friends.
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Anita worked for Kroger Grocery and Bakery Company Warehouse in Fort Wayne for eight years. It was during that time that she joined the WAVES division of the United States Navy for two years during World War II. Most of her time in the service was spent at NATC at Memphis, Tennessee.
On March 24, 1947, she was united in marriage to R. Stanley Clay, Jr. while living in Indiana. Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa where they spent two years before settling in Harlan, Iowa. They became parents to three children: Nancy, Bruce, and Terry. In 1957, the family went to Africa for sixteen months, then returned to Harlan.
In 1974, Anita moved to Orlando, Florida and lived there until her retirement seventeen years later. She came back to Harlan and became a member of the Congregational Church of Christ and the Lebanon Chapter No. 8 Order of the Eastern Star. She was also an active volunteer with Myrtue Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. She enjoyed playing bingo and seeing her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Anita became a resident of Elm Crest Retirement Home in Harlan in July of 2013, where she died on Thursday, January 29, 2015 having attained the age of ninety-four years, four months, and twelve days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her daughter Nancy, and grandson Troy.
She is survived by her sons Bruce Clay and his wife Alice of Raleigh, North Carolina and Terry Clay and his wife Joyce of Harlan, Iowa; nine grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; other family members and friends.
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