Wilbur Lee LAY

LAY, PRATT, KEPLINGER, SIEMILLER, LANDIS, STEPHENSON

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 12/25/2008 at 00:46:15

The Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa

OBITUARY - WILBUR LEE LAY

Wilbur Lee LAY, son of Homer Luther LAY [1879-1969] Anna Elizabeth (PRATT) LAY [1879-1969], was born April 13, 1912 on the family farm north of Mount Ayr, Iowa, and died at his home in Cameron, [Clinton Co.] Missouri on September 27, 1983, aged 72 years, 5 months, and 14 days, of following a two month illness.

Wilbur attended the Watterson School, with the exception of one year in Colorado. He was a Mount Ayr High School graduate of 1928. After attending Auroa College, he taught three years in the Watterson School.

He was married to Madelyn KEPLINGER [1915-1995] on Easter Sunday April 17, 1938 in the Blockton Methodist Church. They were the parents of three sons, Kenneth, Robert, and Paul, and two daughters, Linda and Mary Lynette.

The couple lived on a farm near Hickory Grove for four years then purchased their farm near Ellston with a tenant-purchase loan from the federal government.

The next 36 years were spent in school, church, and community activities as they reared their family. Wilbur was a member of the Hickory Grove Advent Christian Church, later joining the Ellston Methodist Church where he was a Sunday School teacher. Other interests included the Allendale, Mo. gospel singers and western square dancing and calling. His activities were curtailed when he developed cirulartory problems in his left leg in 1972.

In 1978, the LAYS moved to an acerage in Cameron, Mo. where a new home was begun. Wilbur spent the last five years finishing the home and working with his ponies. He was the substitute teacher of his Sunday School class at the United Methodist Church in Cameron.

He was preceded in death by his parents in 1969 and by an infant sister [Blanche Elizabeth] in 1918. Those left to mourn his passing are his wife, Madelyn, Kenneth and Anita LAY, Douglas, Marla, and Kathie of Schoelady, N.Y., Robert and Kathy LAY, Deb, Rob and Mike of Lancaster, Pa., Paul [illegible] LAY, Jason and Eric of Des Moines, Linda and Roe LANDIS, Tina, Melissa, Bryon, Ricky, and Jimmy of Carrollton, Mo., Mary Lynnette and Roger STEPHENSON of Cameron, Mo., a brother [Luther] Clark [1909-1998] and Florence LAY of Auroa, Ill., an aunt, Sylvia LAY of West Des Moines, sisters and brothers-in-law, Dorothy Pratt of Mounty Ayr, Alice and Harold KEPLINGER of Kellerton, Ralph KEPLINGER of Maloy, besides them, nephews and cousins.

This summer the LAYS were blessed by visits from all close relatives. The body was cremated following a private service. Informal services are planned for next summer at Hickory Grove and Ellston.

NOTE: Madelyn Bessie (KEPLINGER) LAY was born October 9, 1915, Blockton, Taylor County, Iowa, the daughter of Adam Bible KEPLINGER (1852-1957) and Amy Myrtle (SIEMILLER) KEPLINGER (1881-1968. Madelyn died at Cameron, Clinton County, Missouri on November 7, 1995.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, December of 2008