Irene I. Clay

Irene I. Clay, 87, of Sioux City died Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2008, at Casa de Paz. Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday, August 21, 2008 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, with the Rev. Craig Collison officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, August 19, 2008 with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a vigil service at 7 p.m., at the church.

Irene I. Clay was born June 16, 1921, in Yankton, S.D., one of 17 children born to Felix and Mary Leah (Lagesse) Girard. She attended Jefferson (S.D.) High School.

She married Everett E. Clay on Oct. 18, 1940, in Sioux City. He preceded her in death on Dec. 1, 2001, in Sioux City. Besides being a homemaker and mother of 10, she was also employed with Woolco for 10 years.

She enjoyed playing cards, listening to the Cubs on the radio, crocheting, cooking, baking and gardening. She also was an avid reader and walker. She especially enjoyed spending time with her family. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Survivors include six sons, Rodney (Carol), Dennis (Joyce), Michael, Everett A. (Kandace), Marcus and John (special friend, Rita Lowe) Clay, all of Sioux City; four daughters, Charlene (Robert) Berger and Linda (Michael) Ring, both of Sioux City, Patricia (Clinton) Groves of Topeka, Kan., and Mary Schultz of Dakota Dunes, S.D.; a brother, Isadore (Bernice) Girard of Sioux City; a sister, Beulah (Darrel) Brown of Sioux City; 31 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; 14 brothers and sisters; and a son-in-law, Steve Schultz.

Pallbearers will be David Berger, Jodi Wynn, Kyle Kackman, Sean Ring; Mickey Ring and John Berger. Honorary Jason Ring, Jacob Wynn and Tim Berger.