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IN LOVING MEMORY OF John Lay, Jr.
John Lay,
Jr.
March 2, 2018
John Lay, Jr.'s Obituary
EL DORADO, KANSAS
A memorial service to celebrate John's life will be at 10:00 A.M. on March 24th 2018 at the First United Methodist Church in El Dorado KS. We are asking those who would like to, to wear bright colors in celebration of his love for wearing bright colors.
Memorials can be made to the John and Rosemary Lay Scholarship at Butler Community College Foundation. Gifts may be mailed to Butler Foundation 901 S. Haverhill Rd El Dorado KS 67042 or to the First United Methodist Church, 421 W. Central Ave, El Dorado Ks 67042. Condolences may be left for the family at www.bakerfhvc.com
John K Lay Jr.
passed away on March 2nd 2018. He was born on March 16th 1924 in Hope Kansas. He was the eldest son of John & Mildred Lay. John attended Ottawa University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1945. He taught high school in Arma Kansas for a year after college (1945-46) and then he attended Central Baptist Theological Seminary for two years (1946-48). Starting in the fall of 1948 John taught at Hope High School in his home town of Hope Kansas until 1955. John began traveling overseas in the summer of 1954. His love of other countries led him to teach for the US military at different bases overseas. He first met his wife Rosemary in Bitburg Germany where both of them were teaching. From there he moved to Japan where he was a counselor/teacher at Misawa Air force base, Omisawa, Honsho Island Japan (1957-58). John then moved to Tokyo and was the Vice Principal at Narimasu High School (1958-61). John started courting Rosemary after she began teaching at Narimasu High school in 1959. He proposed on Valentine's day 1960 and they were married on March 22nd 1960. Their first daughter, Candace Marie, was born at the Tachikawa Air force hospital Japan (1961). In 1961 John transferred to the U.S. army high school in Nurnberg Germany where their second daughter Michelle Ann was born (1964). They decided it was time to move home to the states to be near family and moved to Olathe Kansas and John taught at Olathe High School (1964-1966). In 1966 John and Rosemary moved to El Dorado KS where John began teaching at Butler Community College and taught there until he retired in 1997 at the age of 73.
John and Rosemary were members of the First United Methodist Church in El Dorado where John taught Sunday school and was involved in several church committees. John and Rosemary were members of Life Enrichment group through the college and John was very active with other Butler College committees throughout his career and beyond.
John had a passion for teaching and was truly dedicated to his student's success. He loved vegetable gardening, and growing flowers his favorites were Iris, Peonies, and Snowball bushes. John and his wife Rosemary loved to travel and experience different cultures abroad and within the United States.
John is preceded in death by his wife Rosemary Lay, his father John K Lay Sr., his mother Mildred Lay, and two brothers Bill and Bob Lay.
Survivors include his two daughters: Candace Webb (Ted Stevenson) of Colorado Springs CO, Michelle Lay (Scott Kent) of Wichita KS, three grandchildren: Heather Davis (Ryan) of Colorado Springs CO, Charles Wickham (Paula Wahwassuck) of Topeka KS, Chandler Kingman of Topeka KS, five great grandchildren: Taeveon, Takara, Terrell (Colorado Springs CO), Juliet and Tony (Topeka KS), one brother: Calvin Lay (Evelyn) of Iola KS.
A memorial service to celebrate John's life will be at 10:00 A.M. on March 24th 2018 at the First United Methodist Church in El Dorado KS. We are asking those who would like to, to wear bright colors in celebration of his love for wearing bright colors.
Memorials can be made to the John and Rosemary Lay Scholarship at Butler Community College Foundation. Gifts may be mailed to Butler Foundation 901 S. Haverhill Rd El Dorado KS 67042 or to the First United Methodist Church, 421 W. Central Ave, El Dorado Ks 67042. Condolences may be left for the family at www.bakerfhvc.com
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Lay, Jr., please visit our flower store.
Funeral Services for John Lay, Jr.
Celebration of Life
March
24
First United Methodist Church El Dorado
Starts at 10:00 am
John Lay, Jr.'s Guestbook
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