East Side Chapel Funeral Home

JANE LEW — James R. “Jim” Griffith, 70, of Isaacs Creek Rd., Good Hope, died Monday, September 4, 2017, at home with his loving wife, Georgette, at this side.Jim grew up in Wheeling, WV. Following high school, he attended two years at West Liberty State College; graduated from Weaver Airline School; and received a two-year Associate Degree from Belmont Technical College in Ohio. During his college years, he worked for Griffith Brothers Construction in Wheeling, WV; worked as a Ticket Agent and Baggage Claim Manager for National Airlines in Long Island, NY; and then WTC Airfreight in Long Island. They moved to Wheeling, WV, with Jim working for PICOMA Industries for 4 years; then Aeromech Airlines at the Wheeling Airport as Agent-Manager; and was Airport Manager at Beckley Airport for 6 months. They moved to Clarksburg, WV, in 1979, and Jim became Ticket Agent for Aeromech Airlines as a Station Manager. In 1986, Wright Airlines purchased Aeromech and Jim remained Station Manager at Benedum; 1987 transferred to Cleveland, OH and worked one year as Station Manager for Wright; in 1987, he became Station Manager for USAir Express; and then became the Airport Manager for Benedum Airport in Bridgeport, WV, overseeing doubling of the landing field over a 3-year expansion project. In 1998, Jim was named WV Airport Manager of the Year, and in 2000 appointed Airport Manager President. In 2012, he retired as Airport Manager of North Central Regional Airport.Jim’s hobbies and interests included fly-fishing in Montana, Yellowstone, and Arkansas, freshwater fishing in the Great Lakes, boar hunting in Hawaii, black bear hunting in Alberta, Canada; elk, moose, mule deer, antelope and prairie dog hunting in Montana, deer and small game hunts throughout WV. He enjoyed gardening, and the rewards of hard work. His cocker spaniel, Kate, was his constant companion. Jim was a 32nd-degree Mason and Shriner. He especially enjoyed taking sponsored children to the Shriner Hospital in Lexington, KY. Jim was a member Jackson Lodge No. 35 of Good Hope, Eastern Sta... (The Exponent Telegram )

Merriam "Gary" Clay, 76, passed away on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, Foley, Alabama.Mr. Clay was a native of Waynesboro, Mississippi, former resident of Mobile, Alabama and has resided at the Glen Lakes Golf Community in Foley, Alabama for the past 22 years.He graduated from Murphy High school in Mobile, Alabama. He attended the University of Alabama for one year. He was a 1970 graduate of the University of Florida, from the School of Industrial Engineering with a bachelor of arts and science, where he served as a member of four honorary fraternities and served as president of Tau Beta Phi and OmiCron Delta. He was named Industrial Engineer of the Year for the state of Florida, while attending the University of Florida at Gainesville.He was a member of Gainesville Jaycee's Sertoma Club and the Lion's Club. He was a member of the Glen Lakes Golf Club community.He was retired from the United Parcel Service (UPS), as an industrial engineer operation manager for 28 years from corporate headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Clay's career carried all across the United States and abroad.He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Judy (Bell) Clay of Foley, Alabama; mother, Jewel Whitney Clay of Mobile, Alabama; one son, Mike P. (Karen) Clay of Mobile, Alabama; two brothers, Don (Carolyn) Clay of Daphne, Alabama and Kim (Jane) Clay of Hendersonville, North Carolina; two sisters, Jane Morton of Mobile, Alabama and Lisa Clay of Mobile, Alabama; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.Memorial services will be Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 at 3 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home, with Bro. Mike Hutto officiating.Family will receive friends Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, from 2 to 3 p.m., at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.Interment will follow at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Atmore, Alabama.Honorary pallbearers will be Mike Clay, Steve Jones, Jerry DuBose, Tim Newman, Don Clay and Kim Clay.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Moyeville Baptist Church or Overlook Presbyterian Church in Mobile, Alabama.Petty-Eastside Chape... (Gulf Coast News Today)