1928
Marie
2013
Marie Jay
March 13, 1928 — September 12, 2013
Marie Jay, 85 of Amarillo passed away Thursday, September 12, 2013.
Funeral services will be at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, September 14, in Brentwood Chapel at Schooler Funeral Home with Dr. Carey Skinner of Trinity Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia.
Visitation will be from 6-7:00 p.m., today at the funeral home.
Marie was born on March 13, 1928 in Tenaha, Texas, the third of 5 children to John Grady and Lillian Elizabeth McKnight. She graduated as salutatorian of her 1945 class at Joaquin Texas High School with hope of becoming a nurse. Hard financial times made that dream difficult, so she left East Texas and moved in with her maternal grandparents (John and Caledonia Coats) in Lubbock, Texas. Here she entered the secretarial program at Draughon’s Business College and graduated at the top of her class in typing, shorthand, and bookkeeping. It was at Draughon’s that Marie met and fell in love with a fellow student, Gerald Franklin Jay, and they were soon married, December, 28, 1946 until his death on October 12, 1992.
In 1956, Gerald was transferred to Amarillo with an expanding Pioneer Natural Gas Company, so they packed up their two kids and moved to the community that they would cherish and serve and call home for the remainder of their lives.
Marie worked as Executive Secretary for Pioneer Natural Gas Employees Credit Union from the early 1960’s until the early 1990’s and during this time she returned to study at Amarillo College as computer skills became needed. She also taught swimming at the Y.W.C.A. and helped out Boys Ranch by typing donation envelopes.
She was proud to have joined Trinity Baptist Church in 1956 and remained a member all of her life. She taught Vacation Bible School for years and served continually as an officer in her Sunday school class and attended numerous Bible Study series.
Marie’s strong Christian spirit and love of God led her to help many who were in need. As some of her neighbors and friends began getting older and reliant on others, she was at their door willing to do whatever, cooking, cleaning, shopping, errands, or even mowing their yard if needed. Mom also had other causes that she supported. She was a dedicated donor to Coffee Memorial Blood Center, donator to the Children’s Christian Relief Fund, World Vision, St. Jude’s Hospital, and volunteered at the Blind Club. Most dear to her heart was her volunteer work with the Ladies Auxiliary at BSA Hospital where she devoted 6,267 hours of her time between 1990 and 2006 (the “Popcorn Lady”).
She was totally committed to her kids and husband and provided us a warm, loving, spotless environment with gourmet meals that attracted many neighborhood kids and even a few grownups.
Marie was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Travis McKnight; two sisters, Dorothea Blount and Grady Lou Shofner; a wonderful, loving, grandson, Randall Jason Bridwell; and her husband, Gerald.
Marie is survived by her two children, Karen Bridwell and husband, Keith of Bridgeport, Texas and Richard C. Jay and wife, Trisha of Amarillo; a sister, JoAnn Permenter and husband John of Lufkin; five grandchildren, Jay Bridwell and wife Tricia, Reid Bridwell and wife, Jill, Whitney Bridwell, Reed Wetmore and Elli Chloe Marie Jay; five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the super staffs of her Comfort Care home and Integra Hospice for the care, love, and respect they provided Mom during her struggle with Alzheimers.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to your favorite charity or to Trinity Baptist Church, 1601 I-40 West, Amarillo, Texas 79109.
Funeral services will be at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, September 14, in Brentwood Chapel at Schooler Funeral Home with Dr. Carey Skinner of Trinity Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia.
Visitation will be from 6-7:00 p.m., today at the funeral home.
Marie was born on March 13, 1928 in Tenaha, Texas, the third of 5 children to John Grady and Lillian Elizabeth McKnight. She graduated as salutatorian of her 1945 class at Joaquin Texas High School with hope of becoming a nurse. Hard financial times made that dream difficult, so she left East Texas and moved in with her maternal grandparents (John and Caledonia Coats) in Lubbock, Texas. Here she entered the secretarial program at Draughon’s Business College and graduated at the top of her class in typing, shorthand, and bookkeeping. It was at Draughon’s that Marie met and fell in love with a fellow student, Gerald Franklin Jay, and they were soon married, December, 28, 1946 until his death on October 12, 1992.
In 1956, Gerald was transferred to Amarillo with an expanding Pioneer Natural Gas Company, so they packed up their two kids and moved to the community that they would cherish and serve and call home for the remainder of their lives.
Marie worked as Executive Secretary for Pioneer Natural Gas Employees Credit Union from the early 1960’s until the early 1990’s and during this time she returned to study at Amarillo College as computer skills became needed. She also taught swimming at the Y.W.C.A. and helped out Boys Ranch by typing donation envelopes.
She was proud to have joined Trinity Baptist Church in 1956 and remained a member all of her life. She taught Vacation Bible School for years and served continually as an officer in her Sunday school class and attended numerous Bible Study series.
Marie’s strong Christian spirit and love of God led her to help many who were in need. As some of her neighbors and friends began getting older and reliant on others, she was at their door willing to do whatever, cooking, cleaning, shopping, errands, or even mowing their yard if needed. Mom also had other causes that she supported. She was a dedicated donor to Coffee Memorial Blood Center, donator to the Children’s Christian Relief Fund, World Vision, St. Jude’s Hospital, and volunteered at the Blind Club. Most dear to her heart was her volunteer work with the Ladies Auxiliary at BSA Hospital where she devoted 6,267 hours of her time between 1990 and 2006 (the “Popcorn Lady”).
She was totally committed to her kids and husband and provided us a warm, loving, spotless environment with gourmet meals that attracted many neighborhood kids and even a few grownups.
Marie was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Travis McKnight; two sisters, Dorothea Blount and Grady Lou Shofner; a wonderful, loving, grandson, Randall Jason Bridwell; and her husband, Gerald.
Marie is survived by her two children, Karen Bridwell and husband, Keith of Bridgeport, Texas and Richard C. Jay and wife, Trisha of Amarillo; a sister, JoAnn Permenter and husband John of Lufkin; five grandchildren, Jay Bridwell and wife Tricia, Reid Bridwell and wife, Jill, Whitney Bridwell, Reed Wetmore and Elli Chloe Marie Jay; five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the super staffs of her Comfort Care home and Integra Hospice for the care, love, and respect they provided Mom during her struggle with Alzheimers.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to your favorite charity or to Trinity Baptist Church, 1601 I-40 West, Amarillo, Texas 79109.
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