Charles E. "Eddie" Clay (1922-2012)

South Dakota has lost one of its outstanding citizens.

Charles "Eddie" Clay of Hot Springs passed away this morning (10/4/12) at the Rapid City Regional Hospital after suffering a stroke yesterday.  He was 90 years old.

And most of those 90 years were dedicated to his family, his country, and his community.

It's sad to see the passing of such a remarkable person, and our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his wife, Clara, his daughter, Bobbi, and the entire Clay family.

Born in Missouri and raised in Iowa, Eddie served with the 8th Air Force in the Pacific during World War II.  Another assignment to Ellsworth Air Force Base allowed him to meet and later marry Clara May Hagen.  Eddie was also called up and served during the Korean War.

Eddie and Clara owned and operated Fall River Abstract in Hot Springs for more than 43 years.  He was devoted to Clara and Bobbi and his grandchildren.

Our sorrow at Eddie's passing  should be quickly tempered by celebration of his numerous and enormous accomplishments during his time on this earth. He was a champion for a wide array of community activities.  The list of his many causes is far too long to enumerate here -- and so we mention only a few.   They each elicited deep passion and commitment from Eddie.  He was not a half-way kind of fellow.  

We wrote the following when Eddie was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2007:

"A tireless worker in civic affairs, Eddie has provided vision and leadership to the Mount Rushmore Society, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, the Mammoth Site at Hot Springs, and numerous other organizations.

His service in the legislature and on Boards of Directors for many educational, tourism and arts organizations has been remarkable. A Mason for 50 years, Eddie Clay has been a role model for me and many South Dakotans. In addition to daughter Bobbi, the Clays have four grandchildren and four great children."

Eddie also served on the powerful Appropriations Committee in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 1967 to 1974.

Funeral services for Charles "Eddie" Clay will be at 10:00 a.m., Monday, at the Mueller Center in Hot Springs.  A viewing is scheduled for Sunday evening.  

You'll find additional information in this news story broadcast earlier today (10/4/12) by KOTA-TV, in which they appropriately acknowledged Eddie as a "visionary."   You'll also find a few photos and narratives that we posted in 2007 in this Hall of Fame gallery.

Eddie Clay honored

by Larry Miller

During weekend ceremonies on September 7-8, 2007, Charles "Eddie" Clay of Hot Springs, was among 13 outstanding citizens inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame. It was an impressive event, and I was delighted to be among the hundreds of attendees who enjoyed learning about these great folks and getting acquainted with many of them. But it was especially great to visit with Eddie and Clara Clay and family members who attended.

-

I’ve known Eddie Clay since 1985, when he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors that governs South Dakota Public Broadcasting. I was Deputy Executive Director of the network, and I was among the many staff members who looked up to Eddie and admired his professionalism, his wisdom, and his sage advice.

Their daughter, Bobbi Kennedy, and I conspired many months ago to nominate Eddie for the Hall of Fame, and we were overjoyed that he made it the first year he was nominated!

Eddie was born in 1922 in Stahl, Missouri and moved to Eldora, Iowa at an early age. After graduating from high school in 1940, he enlisted in the military and served with the 8th Air Force in the Pacific. Assignment to Ellsworth Air Force Base allowed him to meet and marry the love of his life, Clara May Hagen – shown in this picture with Eddie and their daughter Bobbi Kennedy. Eddie and Clara owned and operated Fall River Abstract for 43 years. And all who know Eddie and Clara know that theirs is a true “partnership” in all that they do in life.

A tireless worker in civic affairs, Eddie has provided vision and leadership to the Mount Rushmore Society, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, the Mammoth Site at Hot Springs, and numerous other organizations.

His service in the legislature and on Boards of Directors for many educational, tourism and arts organizations has been remarkable. A Mason for 50 years, Eddie Clay has been a role model for me and many South Dakotans. In addition to daughter Bobbi, the Clays have four grandchildren and four great children.

I was delighted to meet those family members able to attend the ceremony, along with friends from Hot Springs. I’ve posted a few photographs of the Hall of Fame event. More will be added in the coming days. Well done to the Hall of Fame staff for putting together a terrific program – and for having the good sense to elect Charles “Eddie” Clay as a 2007 inductee! For a glimpse of all inductees into the 2007 South Dakota Hall of Fame, visit our Hall of Fame Gallery at Galey Media.