Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Hay, George W. March 18, 1905 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Patricia Currigan currigan1932@comcast.net August 1, 2022, 4:37 pm Lake Odessa Wave - Friday March 24, 1905 George Hay Died Saturday George W. Hay, of Woodbury, who was lying at the point of death when the last week's Wave was printed, succumbed to the disease that threatened his life on a previous occasion, on Saturday March 18th, 1905, and in his passing away the village of Woodbury and this section of the county in general, loses a splendid character, and a man against whom none can say ill. Mr. Hay and family had been living in this village for the past two years or more, just returning to Woodbury a couple of weeks before his death, having hardly got settled in their old home before the disease came on that brought his death so quickly. Mr. Hay first suffered a stroke of paralysis in August, 1902, from this however, he never fully recovered; able although to enjoy a measure of health up to the time of the last stroke which came in March 13th, just five days before his death; and after the latter he never regained consciousness. On the day this latter stroke attacked him he was feeling unusually well, and those of the family that had noticed it naturally attributed it to his getting back to his old home and among those he has associated with for so many years, but it was only for a short time, Mr. Hay was born on January 23, 1844, at Wooster, Ohio. He was the son of Adam and Christian Hay, and the eldest of ten children. His parents moved to Indiana when he was but four years of age. He lived in Indiana, and was married there in 1868 to Miss Zetuah Ricketts. They continued their residence in Indiana until in 1876, when they moved to Michigan settling at Bismark, where Mr Hay built a saw mill, and with a partner continued in that business until in 1889, he moved to Woodbury. At that time the railroad was just being built through our neighboring village, and he was one of the first to believe in the possibility of that being a good point with his business. He later a lumber yard to his possessions, and e build a very good business, and one out of which he placed himself in comfortable circumstances. Just before coming to Lake Odessa he sold his mill and business in Woodbury to Messes Hay, Shelter Co., intending to spend the remainder of his days in case, and in an enjoyment of the little fortune laid aside for just such a time. Mr. Hay enlisted in the service of his country at the call for volunteers in 1862, at the time enlisting in Company A First Indiana Heavy Artillery and he served until the close of the war, being honorably discharged at Baton Rouge, in 1865. To Mr and Mrs Hay were born five children one dying in infancy. The widow and the remaining four children, J.R.Hay of Casnovia; Mrs. S. Vanhouten of Woodland; and Ira and Clara Hay, of Woodbury, survive in the loss of a kind husband and father and get comforted by the glory of his superior Christin character and assistance of his transition to the land where there ___ night. The funeral was held in the U.B. church of Woodbury on Tuesday ofter____, presided over by Rev. Wilcox, his pastor of this village, assisted by Rev. Lash, of Woodbury. The remains laid at rest in Lakeside cemetery. Mr.Hay was a member of the Methodist church of this village, and was one of the many generous ones to make our fine new edifice possible at this time. He was liberal to a fault almost, and if any could point to a flaw in his character, it was upon this one point of liberality. All who knew him respected and loved him. His was a disposition of which there are but few like. In fact his saintly life and character was a benediction to all who knew him. Additional Comments: lakeside Cem.#6-725 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/h/hay43657nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.2 Kb