James Andrew "June" Clay Jr. © Tahlequah Daily Press
Tahlequah, Oklahoma
July 1, 2011Submitted by: Jo Aguirre
TAHLEQUAH — Services for James Andrew "June" Clay Jr. will be held on Friday, July 1, at 10 a.m. at the Reed-Culver Funeral Chapel with Rev. Neal Dillard and Pastor Clayton Sellers officiating. Interment will follow at Park Hill Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Reed-Culver Funeral Home, of Tahlequah.
Pallbearers for June include John R. Sellers, Dickie Sellers, Ronnie Hamby, Boyd Hamby, Shawn Crittenden, and George Scott. Honorary pallbearers include Ralph Hamby, Arnie Hamby, Jimmie Lee Goodnight and Jay Ferguson.
James Andrew "June" Clay Jr. was born on March 20, 1925, in Welling. He is the son of James Andrew Clay Sr. and Mary Ellen (Hamby). He attended school in the Welling area. June was enlisted in the U.S. Navy during WWII, and served as a tail gunner. Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, June returned to Oklahoma. On Jan. 23, 1948, he married Julia Vee Green in Tahlequah. This union was blessed with 63 years and eight children. June worked as a truck driver, but June was always a cowboy first and foremost. He was talented with breaking and riding horses.
He was a member of the Proctor Riding Club and loved any chance to attend a trail ride. He loved anytime spent with his wife, children, and grandchildren. A Christian by faith, he was a member of the Etta Baptist Church. The Lord called June from his labors on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at his home with his loved ones by his side. June was 86 years old. He will be greatly missed by his many family and friends.
June is preceded in death by his parents and his daughter Tania Lynn Clay.
Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Julia of the home; four sons, Jimmy Clay and wife Jewel of Tulsa, Timothy Clay and wife Vickie of Beggs, Robert Clay of Tahlequah, and James Clay III and wife Tammy of Welling; three daughters, Patricia Vann and husband Jack of Inola, Sonia Boswell and husband Rick of Tahlequah, Tonia Ward and husband Darren of Claremore; one brother Henry Clay and wife Pat of Welling; and sisters, Betty Jo LaFerry of Guthrie, Mary Anna Murgado of Oldsmar, Fla., and Imogene Webb and husband Raymond of Tahlequah.
June's legacy lives on in his 11 grandchildren, Jackson Vann, Sam Vann, Joe Don Clay, Justin Clay, Ashley Boswell, Katelyn Ward, Hannah Boswell, Mary Ann Clay, Tammy Clay, Kassandra Kouplan, and Eric Clay. He also leaves 12 great-grandchildren; two special nieces, Mary Campbell and Billie Dillard; and a outstanding nurse, Lindsey Dillard, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones.
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