Marie Fleming Kay of Lavonia passed away on October 29, 2007, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, following an extended illness.Services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday, November 2, 2007 at the Lavonia Chapel of Strickland Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Lavonia City Cemetery.The family will receive friends at the funeral home Thursday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Flowers are optional, or memorials may be made to the Lavonia First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 47, Lavonia, GA 30553.
Born in Hart County on September 4, 1918, Marie was the oldest of the four children of William Capers and Hattie Lou Fleming.She was raised by her grandparents, the late Jim Balis and Matilda Baker Fleming.A life-long resident of the Hartwell-Toccoa-Lavonia area, Marie attended schools in Mt. Olive and Hart County and was a vital member of the basketball team.Her membership in the Lavonia First Baptist Church and the Faith Sunday School class provided the solid foundation of her life and a strong sense of community.
Marie's legacy is the loving care she bestowed upon her family.She married Hoyt Lee Kay on August 13, 1938.Their 69-year marriage set a wonderful example for her children and grandchildren.She will be fondly remembered and missed by her surviving family:husband Hoyt; brother and sister-in-law, Walbert and MaeBelle Fleming of Hartwell; sister-in-law, Ruth Fleming of Hartwell; daughters and sons-in-law, Linda and Darwin McEntyre of Buford, and Regina and John Bond of Toccoa; son and daughter-in-law, Keith and Vicki Kay of Athens, grandchildren Kim (McEntyre) and Chuck Rogers of Lawrenceville, Todd and Tracie McEntyre of Toccoa, Mandy (Bond) and Butch Ayers of Toccoa, and Gina (Bond) and Jeff Carey of Toccoa; ten great-grandchildren, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.Marie was preceded in death by her parents, brother Alton Fleming, and brother and sister-in-law James and Marie Fleming.
A tireless worker in her home and several places of employment, Marie was also an independent businesswoman.As co-owner of the clothing store, Kay's Casuals, in Lavonia in the 1970s and 1980s, her fashion sense and advice influenced many women.She was a member of the Lavonia Garden Club and enjoyed growing plants to feed both the body and the soul.Bridge players in Lavonia remember her as a thoughtful player and member of as many as four clubs at a time.An avid sports fan, she loved watching all games, especially the Atlanta Braves.