The Versailles Republican Obituaries

PAGE UPDATED BY MARIA SIEVERDING DECEMBER 7, 2017 2 P.M.

Clay Hall

Clay Hall, 90, of Milan, passed away on Thursday, November 30, 2017 at Waters of Dillsboro Ross Manor Skilled Nursing Facility.

Clay was born on March 21, 1927 in Speedwell, Powell Valley, Tennessee, the son of Lloyd Hall and Marjorie Brewer Hall. He married Audrey Singleton Hall (deceased) on May 22, 1949. He is survived by four children: Michael W. Hall (Deborah) of Milan, Gary L. Hall of Milan, Carol Jackson of Milan, Luwanda Hall-Lykens (Gary) of Greenfield; 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Clay was preceded in death by: his wife, Audrey; sister, Blanche (Hall) Lawson; brothers, Thurman Lee Hall and Robert Hall; daughter-in-law, Judy (Elliott) Hall and son-in-law, Hubert Benjamin Jackson III.

Clay was a hardworking, accomplished man. At 15, he went to work for the Blue Diamond Coal Company in the coal mines. He enlisted in the Navy at age 16 and was deployed in World War II on the USS Mt. Baker (AE -4) munitions ship in the Pacific Theater. At the age of 17, he and Don Willis (Indian Rocks Beach, FL) met when they were assigned the responsibility of the ship store and charged with running finances for the ship. Clay worked to receive his GED while serving during the war. Clay and his buddy, Don were the last two survivors of a crew of 300+ sailors who served with them on the Mt. Baker. They kept in touch and were still friends after 71 years.

After WWII Clay was rehired by the Blue Diamond Coal Company and trained as a surveying engineer. In 1950 he moved his family to Milan to farm full time while working in various factories. In 1965 he began working at Cummins Engine Company as a machinist on the factory line. He rose through the ranks to become a manufacturing engineer for Cummins until he retired in 1985. Clay continued to farm until the age of 82. Clay was an active member of the Ripley County and Milan communities. He played an active role in the establishing the Southeastern Indiana Vocational School in Versailles and served several terms on the Milan Community school board. He was active in county politics and serve on the Ripley County Election Board. Clay was a thirty-second degree Mason and a 50-year member of Masonic Lodge 31 in Milan. He was also an active member of VFW Post 6234 and the American Legion in Milan.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, December 9, at Hope Baptist Church in Dillsboro at 1 p.m. A time for visiting and reminiscing with family and friends will be held from 12-1 p.m. before the memorial service.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations be made to the Milan VFW Scholarship Fund for high school seniors, a favorite of Clay’s projects at the VFW. Checks can be made out to: Milan VFW Scholarship Fund, PO Box 117, Milan, IN 47031.

Jerome “Jerry” Meyer

Jerome “Jerry” Meyer, passed away Tuesday, November 21, 2017. He was born and raised in Napoleon, attending school there and graduating from high school in 1949. He was the second child of Irene and Leonard Meyer of Napoleon. Don (deceased), Rick, Joannie and Bruce are his siblings.

Jerry joined the Navy in 1949 and served four years aboard the USS Salisbury Sound. After the Navy he went into finance and banking in Greensburg, then Spokane, WA and finally in Tucson, AZ in 1960, where he remained with his wife, Joan Meyer of 65 years. He also leaves behind two daughters, Debbie of Sahuarita, AZ and Sharon Paddock of Salinas, CA; two granddaughters, Alexis and Melissa of CA; and one great grandson, Rob, also of CA; and many other family members and friends. Before and after retirement, Jerry and Joan, spent summers traveling the country with their RV and the last eight years keeping their RV in the White Mountains of Northern Arizona, fishing and enjoying the “Good Life” six months of the year.

A celebration of life will be held in his honor after the first of the year in Tucson. Donations may be made in his name to Habitat for Humanity, 3501 N Mountain Ave., Tucson, Arizona 85719.