Wilber Marvin Lay

Wilbur Marvin ìJeffî Lay was born December 29, 1918 in Russellville, Arkansas. He was the son of Elige M. and Lela May (Reeves) Lay. At the age of seven, Jeff moved with his family in a covered wagon from Arkansas to an area nine miles west of Sand Springs, Oklahoma called Boggy Creek near Leroy, Oklahoma. His family later relocated further up the Arkansas River in Osage, County to an area known as Boston Pool and then after a while to Mound Valley, Oklahoma. While residing in the Boston Pool area, Jeff met Lizzie Magdalene Butler at the rural Osage County community of Middle Enterprise. The two continued courting for several years and were later united in marriage on October 1, 1939, in Hominy, Oklahoma. The couple established their initial home in Middle Enterprise were Jeff was working. They soon moved to the Prue area and began a ranching operation of their own. In 1956, Jeff and Magdalene moved to Wynona, Oklahoma and then purchased their own ranch in 1958, and have continued to reside and ranch for many decades until 2007, when they began to down size. Magdalene preceded him in death on December 18, 2009 after seventy years of marriage. Jeff spent all of his life in the cattle ranching and farming business and was very creative in his chosen line of work. He enjoyed fishing, dominos and playing moon; a game that uses a double six domino set, with all but the double zero of the zero suit removed. He was described by his family as a simple man that enjoyed working and spending time on his ranch and especially enjoyed Magdaleneís cooking. Jeff passed from this life on Tuesday, April 2, 2013, at the Jane Phillips Medical Center in Bartlesville at the age of ninety-four. In addition to his wife Magdalene, Jeff was preceded in death by his parents, Elige M. and Lela May Lay; siblings Maruita Cox, Deoin Lay and Fred Lay, one great grandson Chanc Davis and a infant granddaughter Courtney Haught. Graveside services will be held at 3:00 pm Friday, April 5, 2013 at the A.J. Powell Memorial Cemetery in Hominy with Rev. David Head officiating. Burial will be at the A. J. Powell Memorial Cemetery under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home. Friends may share a memory with the family at the funeral home or online at www.chapman-black.com