Henry Tucker Clay

November 12, 1930 - December 23, 2016
Macon, GA- Dr. Henry Tucker Clay, 86, a long-time Macon family physician, passed away at his home on Friday, December 23, 2016. He was in private practice from 1959 until 2015, longer than any other physician practicing in Macon.

He was born on November 12, 1930, to Clarence Henry Clay and Mamie Tucker Clay. He was preceded in death by his only brother, Clarence Henry Clay, Jr.

Dr. Clay was an honor graduate of Lanier High School, Class of 1948, where he served as captain of the ROTC. He received the AB degree Magna Cum Laude from Mercer University in 1951, where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order, and his MD degree from Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University in 1955. After serving two years of internship and residency at the Macon Hospital, he served two years in the Medical Corps of the US Air Force Strategic Air Command in New Mexico.

He had, at one time, practiced in all of the local hospitals, but for the last few years, had an office-based practice. He served as President of the Riverside Clinic Hospital medical staff and Chairman of Family Practice at Medical Center of Central Georgia. He also served as the Student Health Physician at Mercer and as the Mercer Bear basketball team doctor. He was a Fellow and Life Member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, a member of Mulberry Street United Methodist Church, and a former member of the Idle Hour Country Club.

Dr. Clay had a lifelong interest in horses. For four years, in high school, he delivered the Macon News over an eight-mile route, often delivering the newspapers on horseback. For many years, he bred, raised, and showed purebred Arabian horses. Several of the horses he bred won national championships. In recent years, his horse farm was operated as a boarding facility. He passed on his love for horses to his children.

He is survived by his wife, the former Cater Snow. They were married October 19, 1957. He is survived by his children, Cater Clay Thompson (Bert) and Frances Louise Clay, both of Macon, and Dr. Hank Tucker Clay, Jr. (Bessie) of Lansing, North Carolina; and five grandchildren, Catherine Cater Thompson and Bert Ferguson Thompson, Jr., both of Macon, and Henry Tucker Clay, III, Martha Mallory Clay, and Calder Bayne Clay, all of Lansing, North Carolina.

Dr. Clay was a fifth generation Bibb Countian and proud of his Southern heritage. He would like to give special thanks to his longtime caretaker at his home and farm, Tony Felder.

Memorial services will be held at 3:00 PM Tuesday at Snow's Memorial Chapel, Cherry Street. Burial will be private for family in Ebenezer United Methodist Church Cemetery. Rev. Jimmy Towson will officiate. The family will greet friends following the service at the funeral home and asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Methodist Home for Children and Youth, 304 Pierce Avenue, Macon, GA 31204 or the donor's favorite charity.
Visit www.snowsmacon.com to express tributes.
Snow's Memorial Chapel, Cherry Street, has charge of arrangements.


View the online memorial for Henry Tucker Clay, MD

Published in The Telegraph on Dec. 24, 2016