Obituary of Dorothy Mae Clay

Dorothy Hancock Clay, 80, of Almond, North Carolina died Tuesday, August 08, 2017 at The Homestead Hospice Care Facility in Haywood County after a long period of declining health. Dorothy was born April 20, 1937 in Rowan County. She was the daughter of Dillard and Ella Hancock. On October 2, 1953, she married Ralph Clay. She and her husband, a Church of God minister, pastored several churches throughout North Carolina. She held various clerical jobs, the last being a receptionist at Moody & Brigham law office in Bryson City. In 1990, Dorothy and her husband retired to the Panther Creek Community in Graham County. She was an avid reader and enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. She loved to shop, garden, and spend time doing genealogy. Dorothy and Ralph were blessed with four daughters: Deborah and Larry Bryson of Waynesville, Donna and Sam Huntley of Concord, Pam Clay of Salisbury, and Patti and Jeff Mathis of Bryson City; her grandchildren, Evan Mathis of Cherokee and Logan Mathis of Bryson City. She is also survived by her sister, Virginia Williams of Concord. She was preceded in death by her parents, grandson, Christopher Huntley and brothers Edison and James Hancock. A celebration of her life memorial service will be held at 12:00 pm, on Friday August 11, 2017 at Crisp Funeral Home in Bryson City. The Reverend Eugene Moore will be officiating. Friends may call from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain where she will be laid to rest beside her loving husband. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Haywood Hospice and Palliative Care at The Homestead, 127 Sunset Ridge Rd., Clyde, NC, 28721.