Meda Clay to celebrate 99th birthday
Meda Clay, a resident of Crestwood, will celebrate her 99th birthday on Aug. 24. Meda will be 99 years old. She was born in 1919.
Meda fondly recalled and shared some early experiences of her life.
“My mother was reading a book about a sweet young girl named Meda and decided to name me after the girl in the book. I have only met one other Meda in my lifetime. Mother worked in Dallas as a dressmaker. My mother was very nice and loving to me. My dad was very likeable. He always had a smile on his face. He didn’t know a stranger. He was a jack-of-all-trades and took very good care of his family. I was a daddy’s girl and loved my dad,” said Mrs. Clay.
“My husband’s name was Claude Clay. Claude was a generous and loving man and he was good to his family, friends, and community. I was lucky to call him my husband. Claude passed away in 2005 and I really miss him.”
Mrs. Clay recalled that she met her husband on a blind date.
“ We met on a blind date. We were set up. We had a burger and a shake. Claude told me on that first date he has been looking for a girl like me. He said, “Meda, I am going to marry you.” We would have been married for 81 years this December. We were married in 1937. I was 18 years old.”
Mrs. Clay offered some advice to those who are looking for love or newly married.
“My advice is to just be yourself. Your spouse fell in love with you and no one else. So many couples change themselves to please each other. You don’t have to change you just have to be agreeable. You must seek the Lord with all your heart and find a happy medium. You may not always agree but learn to agree when you can. Do not go to bed unhappy. It causes wrinkles. You have to forgive often and laugh always. That makes a good marriage. I thought my marriage was amazing. It was heaven this side of Earth. We prayed together and putting God first in our marriage is the best advice I can give anyone.”
The Clays had two daughters, Carol and Peggy.
“The girls loved to travel out of town to see relatives. We made some dear memories on our trips. My girls were both saved and love the Lord. My family went to church every Sunday. Carol and Peggy are still very active in their church. I would love them to continue doing God’s work,” said Mrs. Clay.
“I love spending time with my daughters. I like playing bingo with my good friends Marion Teague and Ruth Bayless. I’m lucky I can walk next door and bug them.”
Mrs. Clay said to her, the most important thing is to love.
“Learn how to love, learn how to show love, and how to spread love but mostly importantly learn how to just love one another. This world would be such a better place if we could just love one another like Jesus loves us.”
Meda Clay
