James H. Clay, age 86, of Clinton, Missouri passed away on Sunday, November 3, 2024. James's wishes were to be cremated. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, November 8, 2024 at Englewood Cemetery in Clinton, Missouri. Memorial contributions can be made to St Jude Children's Hospital and may be left in care of the funeral home.

James H. Clay was born at home on December 8, 1937 in Fairfax, Oklahoma to James Dudley and Georgia Fay (Roberts) Clay. On February 20, 1961 he married Sharon Lee Harvey; they were together 50 years one month and five days until her death on March 25, 2011.

James held many jobs in his life, before he was old enough to drive he worked at the chicken factory on Franklin Street. As an adult he went to work for the Railroad. It wasn't long with the railroad that he and Sharon realized they missed each other too much, so he came back and went to work for the Clinton School System as a janitor. He then went to work for the City of Clinton on the street department until retiring on April 28, 2005. He realized that he didn't care for retirement so he went to work for the City of Clinton again as a ATS driver until his retirement in 2014.

Preceding him in death are his father, James Dudley Clay and his mother, Georgia Clay, his three brothers Jack, George, and Jerry, and his four sisters, Loraine, Ruth, Betty, and Virginia.

Survivors include his son Jimmy Clay wife Jacqueline Clay, seven grandchildren, twenty-three great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild, 2 brothers Ben and Billy, 2 sisters Mary and Patricia and husband Russ, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home in Clinton, Missouri.