Thomas E. "Tom" Clay

Thomas E. "Tom" Clay, age 78, a lifelong resident of Dover, died Wednesday, May 29, 2013, in his home with his loving family around him.

Born September 24, 1934 in Dover, he was a son of the late Herman E. and Myrtle I. Howell Clay. Tom's mother died when he was a young boy, and his late step-mother, Marie Hollingbaugh Clay, played a major role in his upbringing. He attended Dover schools until his entry into the U.S. Army where he completed his education with two years of college credit. Tom married the former Ruth I. Leindecker on December 1, 1956 in the parsonage of the Baltic Evangelical and Reformed Church, and the two set up housekeeping in Dover rearing three sons. Tom worked for a time as an officer with the Dover Police Dept., and then was employed by Twin City Concrete from which he retired on January 1, 2000, after thirty-five years.

He was a member of Ruslin Hills Church, Dover; a Golden Eagle member of Dover Eagles 515; as well as a member of the Teamsters Union.

In his younger days, Tom enjoyed working on automobiles; he painted the trucks at Twin City in the off-season, which kept him in work. He liked going dancing with Ruth, and camping with his family many happy times were spent sitting around the campfire. In his later years, Tom enjoyed countless hours mowing "his valley" on his Cub Cadet, as well as singing Karaoke with Ruth. He was a devoted family man, who found special joy in his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren when they came along. To know Tom was to love him.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth; his three sons, Larry (wife, Gaylynne), Bruce (wife, Jane) and Russell Clay, all of Dover; his four grandchildren, Cheri, Seth (wife, Melinda) and Frederic Clay, and Elizabeth (husband, Kevin) Schrock; his two great-grandchildren, Kelsi Clay and Alexander Schrock; his step-sister, Mary Lou Lahmers of Dover; his sisters-in-law, Dorie and Edna Clay, both also of Dover; and his many nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents and his step-mother, Tom was preceded in death by his two sisters, Dorothy May and Mary Weitek; his four brothers, Jim, Alfred, Arthur and Robert Clay; his three step-brothers, Harold, Ed and Robert Hollingbaugh.

Family and friends are invited to call at the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory in Dover on Sunday, June 2, 2 5 p.m. A funeral service will be held Monday at 11 a.m. in the funeral home with Pastor Duane Houser officiating. Burial will be in Ridgecrest Memory Gardens, Dover. Following the committal, there will be a luncheon in the Toland-Herzig Monarch Center on the Boulevard in Dover. To sign an online guestbook and share a fond memory of Tom, please visit the Obituaries and Flowers link on the funeral home's website.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to Tom's physicians, nurses, Union Hospital Home Health Care, Community Hospice and everyone involved in Tom's care THANK YOU you were truly wonderful. Also, the family suggests that contributions in Tom's memory be made to Community Hospice, 716 Commercial Ave. S.W., New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663, or Ruslin Hills Church, P.O. Box 91, Dover, OH 44622.