Mary Clay

Obituary Mary Garrett Clay, 82, of Morehead City, died Thursday, June 8, 2017, at Crystal Bluffs Rehabilitation and Health Care. There will be a private memorial service at a later date for family and friends. Mary was born in Hardyville, VA on August 26, 1934, to John Purcell and Cornelia Bristow Garrett. She grew up in West Point, VA, graduated from high school there and began her adult life as a dental assistant. In 1954, Mary married Leon A. Clay and traveled with him to military posting assignments in Illinois, New York, Virginia and Alaska. She was in Alaska when it became our 49th state. During all the moves, Mary found jobs in bookkeeping and financial fields. Following her husbands military service, she moved to Pulaski, VA, in 1958, Rockville, MD, in 1963, Camden, DE, in 1967, and returned to Rockville, MD, in 1970, all while working part-time and raising a family of four children. In 1976, she began a long career at Community Radiology Associates, starting as a bookkeeper, spending over a decade as a business office manager, and continued on consulting with them into retirement. Marys career saw CRA through the transition to modern electronic billing and financial management. She retired to Morehead City with her husband in 1990 and traveled extensively until illness made travel impossible. Mary enjoyed playing bridge and golf, but her favorite past-time was spending time with her loved ones. Loving, being loved, and helping friends and neighbors was her lifes purpose; honesty and truthfulness will be her legacy. Mary is survived by her husband, Leon Clay, of Morehead City; four children, David B. Clay, of Hubert, NC; Robin L. Buckley, her husband, James, granddaughter, Christine, and great grandson, Vincent, of Capon Bridge, West Virginia; Melanie C. Wright, her husband, Innes, and granddaughter, Katrina, of Boise, Idaho; and John G. Clay, his wife, Pamela, and three granddaughters, Julia, Miranda, and Diana, of Damascus, Maryland; sister, Gaybrooke Crittenden and husband, Thomas. Mary is preceded in death by her parents, and a sister, Drue Clark. In lieu of flowers, it is the familys request that memorial contributions be made in Marys name to the Alzheimers North Carolina, Inc., 1305 Navaho Drive, Suite 101, Raleigh, NC 27609. &nbspBorn: August 26, 1934&nbspDeath: June 8, 2017 Share your thoughts and memories in the guestbook. Services You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Mary Clay