Mr. Billy Joe Clay, age 76, of the Defeated Creek Community, died at 12:49 a.m. Monday morning March 12, 2013 at the Riverview Regional Medical Center in Carthage where he had been a patient since March 4th.

Funeral services were conducted on Thursday afternoon March 14th at 1 p.m. from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home. Bro. Mark Stinnett and Larry Cole officiated and burial followed in the Defeated Creek Memorial Gardens with Bro. Shawn Shepherd officiating.

He was married on December 23, 1955 to Flatrock Community native Carolyn Ramona Harrison. He retired from the former Moss Service and Supply Co. with over twenty years of service and as a skilled plumber and electrician he owned and operated Clay’s Electric from his Pinewood home farm at Defeated Creek. He and his wife enjoyed gardening and canning at the family farm.

Mr. Clay was preceded in death by his only brother, James Carrington “Jimmy” Clay.

Surviving in addition to his wife of over fifty-seven years are four children, George Clay and wife Teresa Martin Clay of Defeated Creek, Ramona Clay Wilmore and husband Scotty of Pleasant Shade, Jackie Clay Smith and husband Robert Lee of Hickman, Belinda Clay Wilks of White House; seven grandchildren, Amanda Mullinax and husband Kevin, Tyler Robinson and wife Kim, Cara Fleenor and husband Jeremy, Hillary Miller and husband Dusty, Nicole and Austin Clay, Taylor Ward; three great-grandchildren, Chloe Fleenor, Kaden Mullinax, Rome Robinson.

The Clay family requests memorials to either the Defeated Creek Fire Department or the Smith County Cancer Fund.