Kathleen Clay

Born to Harvey “H” & Sandra Louise Clay in Flint Michigan on April 15, 1976. Kathleen graduated from LakeVille Community High School in 1995. She was a member of Court Street United Methodist Church since 2003 & loved working with children, whenever she could. She also loved working with animals & spent many years volunteering at the Genesee County Humane Society.

Early in life, Kathleen was found to have a congenital heart condition. In 1977, she had her first open heart surgery to repair an anomalous left coronary artery, at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. At the time, there were few hotels that would accommodate families of children who were patients at CHM. A plan was afoot to offer affordable housing to families who came from all over world to CHM. Mc’Donalds Owners & Operators, along with the Board of Directors at CHM built the first Ronald McDonald House in Michigan. In November,1979, Ronald McDonald House held a ribbon cutting ceremony & Open House that gave those families a home-away- from home. Our family helped raise funds through the sale of thousands of T-shirts to Jaycee’s & Jaycettes’s throughout Michigan.

Kathleen began work at Genesee McDonald’s in 1990.

She went on to work for many years at VG’s in Burton, MI, Meijer’s on Hill Rd. Grand Blanc, Flint Community Schools as a Lunch Aide & Para-Pro & currently was working at McDonald’s on Court Street for the past 3 years. The Owner/Operator, Robert Spangler, Chris Spangler, managers & crew at McDonald’s have been very accomodating, kind, & compassionate as she struggled with health issues in the last month. She loved her customers, wherever she worked & remembered them years after she left a job!

Kathleen will forever be remembered for singing the song “Tomorrow” from Annie, at the top of her lungs when she was in elementary school.

Kathy loved to travel & visited many place with her mom, including a recent cruise to Italy, Greece & Turkey last year.

She loved the monthly Socials she attended with Xceptional Heroes, a group for adult children celebrating, supporting or empowering individuals with exceptional needs. She felt so welcome & a part of a wonderful group of compassionate friends who excepted everyone for who they were!

Donations may be given to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Detroit, 4707 St. Antoine St. #200, Detroit, MI 48201 or Xceptional Heroes 12745 S. Saginaw St. Suite 806, Box 104, Grand Blanc, MI 48439 in her memory.

In April, Kathy had moved into our answer to prayers, about where she would live after her parents passed away-Gross Assisted Living, in Clio, MI. She was very contended & happy living there! They treated her with such care & compassion, we couldn’t believe we were led to this Adult Foster Care Home!

As a further testament of Kathleen’s generous & loving nature she signed up to be a tissue donor, after death, through a cornea transplant program. She gave the gift of sight to someone in need.

She had a hearty laugh, joyful spirit & incredible memory for people she met along the way & she will long be remembered for putting a smile on everyone face.

She leaves her parents, Sandy & Harvey (Rose)Clay; brother Michael, (Christina) Clay of Burlingame CA; step-sister, Michelle Ardelean of Owosso; great-aunt Carol (Gerald) Beard, niece Margo Madamba Clay & Dean Madamba Clay of Burlingame, CA. She also leaves many cousins, and a host of friends from all walks of her life. She dearly treasured her special furry friend, Whitney!

She never met a stranger & treated everyone with kindness & compassion. May we all take a page from her book of life!