Obituary of Stanbert E Clay

Stanbert Edgar Clay (Bert) died February 27, 2019 at his home in Clifford, Colorado. Bert was nearly 91 years old.  He was born March 12, 1928 in Simla CO to Stanley Elijah and Sylvia Margaret Smith Clay where they lived on Stanley’s homestead of 1908. They raised cattle, chickens, pigs, and feed on the homestead 16 miles S. E. of Matheson.  Bert attended 1^st thru 8^th grades in one room schools.  The day after he graduated from Simla High in 1945 he went to work for his half-brother, Ben Miller, in a tire recapping and service station in Hugo.  While there he met Alice Murray, and married her May 13, 1949. He always said that was the best thing that ever happened to him. (This May would have been their 70^th wedding anniversary). 

Alice was teaching at Boyero at the time of their marriage and taught the next 2 years at Central School N of Kutch.  Bert ran the school bus and did carpentering before buying their first Full Service Gas Station in Hugo.  They later had 2 service stations in Hugo, and also began bulk fuel delivery from their Frontier Station in East Hugo to local farms and ranches.  In 1953 they bought Central Service in Limon.  In 1965 they started Clay Motors, a Chrysler Dodge Plymouth garage, in a rented building at 186 E Ave in Limon. In 1967 they bought the Case building at 223 Main and in 1969 built on. In 1975 they sold that building and built a new garage across the street at 286 main.  They ran Clay Motors until 1982 when they sold to Cochran Bros. (One of the fun highlights of Bert’s years as the owner of Clay Motors was his hosting of the annual Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry, hosting as many as 650 guests).  Bert built the Goodyear tire store at 474 1^st Ave and N Hwy 71 in 1984 and ran it, then leased it until 2002 when they sold it.  “We made a good team,” Bert said. Alice agreed, saying that all their businesses and other work had “added variety, which is the spice of life”

The lived from 1951 on 320 acres Alice’s dad gave them (the 1908 homestead where Alice was born) southeast of Hugo, accumulating acreage from Cecil Stroud, Lock Evans, Brad Davis, Bud and Jim Wills, and Roy and Jim Compton until they finally had enough to run 400 cows year round and retire to the ranch for their golden years.  Bert was an avid hunter.  Bert was preceded in death by his parents Stanley and Sylvia Clay, his half-brother Ben Miller, and all of his brothers and sisters: Cleta Kelley, Lila, Edna Murphy, Walter, Frances Blair, Flossie, and Norman.

Bert is survived by his brother-in-law Roy Murphy; 3 sisters-in-law Kay Murray, Noni Clay, and Gail Monks; 3 children Ann (husband Paul) Palmer, Steve (wife Peggy) Clay of Idaho, and Sylvia Vick of Hugo; 4 granddaughters Tish Cooper (husband Edward Hinzman), Tabitha Clay, Raederle Clay, and Teri (husband Lonnie) Campbell; 5 great grandchildren: Angel, Keira, Hailey, Dominic, and Oliver; along with a multitude of nieces, nephews, and their children. (The nieces and nephews all enjoyed coming to Uncle Bert and Aunt Alice’s.  The ranch was a second home to them.)