Mildred De Lay, 89
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - Mildred De Lay, 89, died Sept. 1, 2014, at Williamstown Commons, where she had resided since January 2012. She died after a long and slow decline.
Born in Calhoun, Ga., in 1925, daughter of Oliver J. and Zella Brown Amos, she graduated from North Georgia College at Dahlonega. After graduating, she moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., where she resided for many years. She moved to Williamstown in January 2012 because of poor health and to be close to her daughter.
Mrs. De Lay begin her career as a realtor in 1974, joining Central Real Estate, for which she became a top producer, broker and sales manager. She had first worked for the Tennessee Valley Authority as a draftsman and later in the same capacity for the Bradley County Courthouse and Cleveland Tennessee Electric System.
She had a long history of service in Chattanooga with the Chattanooga Association of Realtors, serving on its board of directors and as chairman of its Public Relations Committee as well as on numerous other committees and task forces including the communications, awards and nominating committees. She was the 1992 recipient of its President's Award.
She also was active with the Tennessee Association of Realtors and, at the state level, served on the budget and finance, awards, public relations and equal opportunity committees.
In 1996, with 20 years as a realtor in Chattanooga, she was honored by her peers as Realtor of Year and was chosen to serve on the 1997 sergeant-at-arms committee of the National Association of Realtors, one of only 20 members chosen from across the nation, to greet realtors at meetings of the national organization, answer questions and provide information.
Mrs. De Lay also was a past president of Brainerd's Chamber of Commerce, which honored her in 1995 for her outstanding service.
She was an active realtor into her mid-70s, slowly reducing her workload because of the ill health of her husband, James M. De Lay Sr., who died in 2007. They were married 62 years.
She leaves her daughter, Lynne De Lay Humes and her husband, Samuel Humes, of Williamstown; two stepgrandchildren, Samuel Hamilton Humes of Arlington, Va., and Hans Humes of Brooklyn, N.Y., and five stepgreat-grandchildren.
Her son, James M. De Lay Jr., also predeceased her in 2007.
FUNERAL NOTICE - A Celebration of Life for Mrs. De Lay will be held on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 11 at the East Brainerd Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 8214 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, Tenn., in the town she loved and served over her many years there. Calling hours will be Saturday morning from 9 to 11 at the funeral home.
Private burial will be in the Chattanooga National Cemetery, where she will be buried next to her husband and son, which were her wishes.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Williamstown Commons or HospiceCare of the Berkshires in care of Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, MA 01247.