Obituary of Otis Shay JR

Otis Waters Shay, Jr., 88, formerly of Mansion Ave., Morgantown, passed away Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at Madison Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Morgantown.He was born in Morgantown on February 29, 1924, the son of the late Otis Waters Shay, Sr. and the late Edith (Frankhouser) Shay.Mr. Shay served during World War II in the United States Army Air Corps. After the war, he served in the United States Army Reserves for over 40 years, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He was employed with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and retired from the Kennedy Center in 1985. One of his greatest pleasures was remodeling and maintaining his rental properties.Survivors include his wife, Helga Grunert Shay, whom he married in 1952 and met in Germany while serving in the Army his daughter, Diana Shay and husband Dan Clay of Alderson, WV a son, Leo Shay and his wife Caroline of Morgantown one grandson, Nathan Clay of Alderson, WV his granddaughters, Courtney Shay Brady and her husband Joshua, and Leah Shay and her husband Scott Payne of Morgantown and two great-grandchildren, Connor and Audrey Brady.In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his youngest son, Gerry Lee Shay in March of 2012 and his sister, Charlotte Ann Sylvester in October of 2012.In accordance with the familyâs wishes, Mr. Shay has been cremated.Family and friends will be received at Hastings Funeral Home, 153 Spruce St., Morgantown on Saturday, December 1, 2012 from 12 Noon until the time of the memorial service at 1:30 PM. Inurnment will follow at a later date in the East Oak Grove Cemetery in Morgantown.