I miss Grace. She was one of the kindest, gentlest spirits I have ever known.
Grace's mother, Rose, was a sister of my grandmother, Viola Mae Bryant. I didn't see much of the extended family once my grandmother passed away and then Aunt Rose. I was living in Cincinnati, then near Detroit and back to Cincinnati only returning to Indiana in 1994. After that Grace often came to visit my mother and me. We would either have a home-made dinner or go to the Clayton Cafe. In later years, her son, Gale, would bring her. In August 2005, Gale, passed away. Shortly after his passing, Mom and I visited Grace in her home in Illinois. Later, Mom got word that Grace had to move to a nursing home. She was still bright but was getting frail with her age. When Mom passed away, I could not find the number for the nursing home so was unable to talk to Grace right away. I finally tracked down one of her daughters-in-law and got the number to call her. We had a long talk and she helped me immensely as I was still grieving terribly for my mother. Later that year, in September 2006, I visited Grace at the nursing home. She was still sharp as a tack. I was about to make the trip again, but found she had passed away.
Her obituary from the January 31, 2007 News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana):
CHAMPAIGN — Grace Jay, 91, of Champaign, died at 9:50 a.m. on Tuesday, January 30, 2007, at Champaign County Nursing Home in Urbana. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 3, at Owens Funeral Home, 101 North Elm Street, Champaign. Rev. Robert Farthing and Rev. Sharon Monroe will officiate. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Mahomet. There will be a visitation on Friday, February 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. and on Saturday, February 3, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Mrs. Jay was born on June 18, 1915, in Champaign County, a daughter of William [known only as Leonard by family and friends] and Rose Bryant Scales. She married John Jay in Covington, Indiana, on November 6, 1938. She later married Chris Jay in Champaign on August 1, 1947.
Survivors include: John Dale (and wife, Sunny) Jay of Seymour, Beth Christine (and husband, Al) Barnes of Paxton, Ann Rollins of Mahomet, Ralph Len (and wife, Melinda) Jay of Mahomet and Ruth Marie Jay of Champaign; 17 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by two husbands; one son, Joseph Gale Jay; two brothers, Elbert and Danny Scales; and one sister, Wanda Robbins.
Mrs. Jay was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Champaign, where she has been a member since the 1940's. She was both an accomplished seamstress and cook and enjoyed teaching English to foreign exchange students. She retired from the University of Illinois, where she labored as a clerk and typist.
Memorials may be given to Provena Covenant Medical Center Hospice, 1400 West Park Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801.
***
Bob & Nancy Cannon made this memorial for her on Find A Grave which I so appreciate. In July 2008, I asked for a transfer so that I could write about how much I loved my Mom's cousin, Grace, and how much I miss her.
Grace's mother, Rose, was a sister of my grandmother, Viola Mae Bryant. I didn't see much of the extended family once my grandmother passed away and then Aunt Rose. I was living in Cincinnati, then near Detroit and back to Cincinnati only returning to Indiana in 1994. After that Grace often came to visit my mother and me. We would either have a home-made dinner or go to the Clayton Cafe. In later years, her son, Gale, would bring her. In August 2005, Gale, passed away. Shortly after his passing, Mom and I visited Grace in her home in Illinois. Later, Mom got word that Grace had to move to a nursing home. She was still bright but was getting frail with her age. When Mom passed away, I could not find the number for the nursing home so was unable to talk to Grace right away. I finally tracked down one of her daughters-in-law and got the number to call her. We had a long talk and she helped me immensely as I was still grieving terribly for my mother. Later that year, in September 2006, I visited Grace at the nursing home. She was still sharp as a tack. I was about to make the trip again, but found she had passed away.
Her obituary from the January 31, 2007 News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana):
CHAMPAIGN — Grace Jay, 91, of Champaign, died at 9:50 a.m. on Tuesday, January 30, 2007, at Champaign County Nursing Home in Urbana. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 3, at Owens Funeral Home, 101 North Elm Street, Champaign. Rev. Robert Farthing and Rev. Sharon Monroe will officiate. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Mahomet. There will be a visitation on Friday, February 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. and on Saturday, February 3, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Mrs. Jay was born on June 18, 1915, in Champaign County, a daughter of William [known only as Leonard by family and friends] and Rose Bryant Scales. She married John Jay in Covington, Indiana, on November 6, 1938. She later married Chris Jay in Champaign on August 1, 1947.
Survivors include: John Dale (and wife, Sunny) Jay of Seymour, Beth Christine (and husband, Al) Barnes of Paxton, Ann Rollins of Mahomet, Ralph Len (and wife, Melinda) Jay of Mahomet and Ruth Marie Jay of Champaign; 17 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by two husbands; one son, Joseph Gale Jay; two brothers, Elbert and Danny Scales; and one sister, Wanda Robbins.
Mrs. Jay was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Champaign, where she has been a member since the 1940's. She was both an accomplished seamstress and cook and enjoyed teaching English to foreign exchange students. She retired from the University of Illinois, where she labored as a clerk and typist.
Memorials may be given to Provena Covenant Medical Center Hospice, 1400 West Park Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801.
***
Bob & Nancy Cannon made this memorial for her on Find A Grave which I so appreciate. In July 2008, I asked for a transfer so that I could write about how much I loved my Mom's cousin, Grace, and how much I miss her.
I miss Grace. She was one of the kindest, gentlest spirits I have ever known.
Grace's mother, Rose, was a sister of my grandmother, Viola Mae Bryant. I didn't see much of the extended family once my grandmother passed away and then Aunt Rose. I was living in Cincinnati, then near Detroit and back to Cincinnati only returning to Indiana in 1994. After that Grace often came to visit my mother and me. We would either have a home-made dinner or go to the Clayton Cafe. In later years, her son, Gale, would bring her. In August 2005, Gale, passed away. Shortly after his passing, Mom and I visited Grace in her home in Illinois. Later, Mom got word that Grace had to move to a nursing home. She was still bright but was getting frail with her age. When Mom passed away, I could not find the number for the nursing home so was unable to talk to Grace right away. I finally tracked down one of her daughters-in-law and got the number to call her. We had a long talk and she helped me immensely as I was still grieving terribly for my mother. Later that year, in September 2006, I visited Grace at the nursing home. She was still sharp as a tack. I was about to make the trip again, but found she had passed away.
Her obituary from the January 31, 2007 News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana):
CHAMPAIGN — Grace Jay, 91, of Champaign, died at 9:50 a.m. on Tuesday, January 30, 2007, at Champaign County Nursing Home in Urbana. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 3, at Owens Funeral Home, 101 North Elm Street, Champaign. Rev. Robert Farthing and Rev. Sharon Monroe will officiate. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Mahomet. There will be a visitation on Friday, February 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. and on Saturday, February 3, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Mrs. Jay was born on June 18, 1915, in Champaign County, a daughter of William [known only as Leonard by family and friends] and Rose Bryant Scales. She married John Jay in Covington, Indiana, on November 6, 1938. She later married Chris Jay in Champaign on August 1, 1947.
Survivors include: John Dale (and wife, Sunny) Jay of Seymour, Beth Christine (and husband, Al) Barnes of Paxton, Ann Rollins of Mahomet, Ralph Len (and wife, Melinda) Jay of Mahomet and Ruth Marie Jay of Champaign; 17 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by two husbands; one son, Joseph Gale Jay; two brothers, Elbert and Danny Scales; and one sister, Wanda Robbins.
Mrs. Jay was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Champaign, where she has been a member since the 1940's. She was both an accomplished seamstress and cook and enjoyed teaching English to foreign exchange students. She retired from the University of Illinois, where she labored as a clerk and typist.
Memorials may be given to Provena Covenant Medical Center Hospice, 1400 West Park Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801.
***
Bob & Nancy Cannon made this memorial for her on Find A Grave which I so appreciate. In July 2008, I asked for a transfer so that I could write about how much I loved my Mom's cousin, Grace, and how much I miss her.
Grace's mother, Rose, was a sister of my grandmother, Viola Mae Bryant. I didn't see much of the extended family once my grandmother passed away and then Aunt Rose. I was living in Cincinnati, then near Detroit and back to Cincinnati only returning to Indiana in 1994. After that Grace often came to visit my mother and me. We would either have a home-made dinner or go to the Clayton Cafe. In later years, her son, Gale, would bring her. In August 2005, Gale, passed away. Shortly after his passing, Mom and I visited Grace in her home in Illinois. Later, Mom got word that Grace had to move to a nursing home. She was still bright but was getting frail with her age. When Mom passed away, I could not find the number for the nursing home so was unable to talk to Grace right away. I finally tracked down one of her daughters-in-law and got the number to call her. We had a long talk and she helped me immensely as I was still grieving terribly for my mother. Later that year, in September 2006, I visited Grace at the nursing home. She was still sharp as a tack. I was about to make the trip again, but found she had passed away.
Her obituary from the January 31, 2007 News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana):
CHAMPAIGN — Grace Jay, 91, of Champaign, died at 9:50 a.m. on Tuesday, January 30, 2007, at Champaign County Nursing Home in Urbana. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 3, at Owens Funeral Home, 101 North Elm Street, Champaign. Rev. Robert Farthing and Rev. Sharon Monroe will officiate. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Mahomet. There will be a visitation on Friday, February 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. and on Saturday, February 3, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Mrs. Jay was born on June 18, 1915, in Champaign County, a daughter of William [known only as Leonard by family and friends] and Rose Bryant Scales. She married John Jay in Covington, Indiana, on November 6, 1938. She later married Chris Jay in Champaign on August 1, 1947.
Survivors include: John Dale (and wife, Sunny) Jay of Seymour, Beth Christine (and husband, Al) Barnes of Paxton, Ann Rollins of Mahomet, Ralph Len (and wife, Melinda) Jay of Mahomet and Ruth Marie Jay of Champaign; 17 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by two husbands; one son, Joseph Gale Jay; two brothers, Elbert and Danny Scales; and one sister, Wanda Robbins.
Mrs. Jay was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Champaign, where she has been a member since the 1940's. She was both an accomplished seamstress and cook and enjoyed teaching English to foreign exchange students. She retired from the University of Illinois, where she labored as a clerk and typist.
Memorials may be given to Provena Covenant Medical Center Hospice, 1400 West Park Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801.
***
Bob & Nancy Cannon made this memorial for her on Find A Grave which I so appreciate. In July 2008, I asked for a transfer so that I could write about how much I loved my Mom's cousin, Grace, and how much I miss her.
Gravesite Details
The obituary lists Grace's father as William, but he was known as Leonard.
