Obituary of Clayton Edward Boley

Funeral Services for Clayton Edward Boley, 64, of rural Louisiana, MO were held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at Cyrene Baptist Church near Bowling Green, MO.  He died Thursday morning, March 7, 2019 at Evelyn’s House, a BJC in house hospice facility in Creve Coeur, MO.                     

Clay was born October 12, 1954 to Charles and Ruth Yocom Boley of Brookfield, MO. He graduated from Brookfield High School in 1972 and entered Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville that fall as a sophomore; having tested out of his freshman year. He graduated during the summer of 1975 and took a job at the Kirksville Daily Express working as a reporter. In the fall of 1976, he began his study at Southern Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky where he received his Masters of Divinity In 1979.                                   

In 1977 he married “his treasure” as he would call her, Anna Marie Griffith. They would have been married 42 years in June. Clay and Anna had two children giving them the perfect family. James was born February 14, 1983 (adding Kim Shaw to his life in 2009 and giving Clay and Anna their first grandchild in 2015—Abigail Faith—-a true joy to Pappy) and Jessica was born January 6, 1986 (adding Jeff Brink to her life in 2017). Their children brought joy and laughter to their home.         

Although Clay had pastorates during college, his first pastorate after he graduated seminary was New Hope Baptist Church outside of Elsberry, MO. They made Elsberry home and fell in love with their New Hope family. Around 1997 Clay became the pastor of Cyrene Baptist Church. Once again God blessed them with dear friends who soon became like family to them. He preached there until January of this year.  Clay also worked at Walmart in both Troy and Bowling Green for over twenty years. He loved talking to the customers and took pride in his job.   Clay was a man with many interests. He loved being outdoors especially at his mother-in-law and father-in-law’s farm. He enjoyed hunting and fishing with his early hunting partner and friend Jim Tom. Later he loved talking about guns with James as well as swapping hunting stories. Clay also enjoyed and took great pride in the remodeling he did of the “farmhouse.” His mother-in-law, Mary, always said Clay could do anything and he did because he believed her words.                          
           
Clay was preceded in death by his father, Charles Boley and his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Jim Tom and Mary Griffith.  He is survived by his wife Anna, his children and their families, James,Kim and Abbi Boley of Cape Girardeau and Jessica and Jeff Brink of New York City; his mother, Ruth  Boley of Brookfield; sisters Leanna Leake (Gayle),Sarah and Rachel Boley and brother Cliff (Jean) Boley of Charles City, Iowa, along with many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews and friends.                
           
A celebration of Clay’s life will be led by Don Amelung and Ken Mathes. Serving as pallbearers will be: Jim Griffith Jr., Kurt Boehm, Charles Chapuis, Gary Herren, Kenny Sencenbaugh, and Taylor Sinclair. Honorary pallbearers are his best friends  Ron Hilton and the men of Cyrene Baptist Church and men from New Hope Baptist Church. Burial was at Grandview in Hannibal. 

Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Monday, March 11, 2019 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry.  Memorials may be made to Evelyn’s House in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343.