BENTONVILLE -- Robert Clay, Major USAF Ret., 86, of Bentonville died Sept. 2, 2006 at his home. He was born April 10, 1920, in Holt County Missouri to Jesse Clay and Iva Clay.
He served in the Army Air Corps as a pilot during World War II in North Africa, and Italy,and was a prisoner of war in Romania. He served as a pilot during the Korean War, and retired from the United States Air Force as a Major.
He was an active member of the Bella Vista Baptist Church, and was very active in missions. He moved to northwest Arkansas in 1984 from South Dakota.
He was preceded in death by his wife Chris Axe in 2005, and one son, Danny Clay. Survivors include one son, Dale Clay of Mesa, Ariz.; one daughter, Alena Axe and husband Jim of Bentonville; one brother, C. Eddie Clay of Hot Springs, SouthDakota; two grandsons; two great grandchildren.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Bella Vista Baptist Church with Michael McCauley officiating. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Stockdale Funeral Services of Rogers.
Burial will be in the Bella Vista Cemetery with military honors. Pallbearers will be Jim Axe, James Axe, Jeremy Axe, and Dale Clay.
Memorials may be made to Mission Aviation Fellowship, P.O. Box 47, Nampa, Ind. 83653-9901; or to Wycliff Bible Translators, P.O. Box 628200, Orlando, Fla., 32862-820
William H. Cloe, a resident of Bentonville for more than 60 years, passed away shortly before six o'clock Monday morning, April 1st, at the Hurley hospital, Bentonville, where he had been a patient for about one month. His death was due to complications, the recovery from which was not expected by his relatives and friends. He was in his 86th year.
Funeral services were held at the Church of Christ Tuesday afternoon, the pastor Rev. Harry Barr, conducting the services. Attorney J. T. McGill, a close friend of the family, gave a sketch of his life. Charles McGill of Ft. Smith sang two numbers. He was accompanied by his sister, Mrs. Mary McGill Davis. Burial was made in the Bentonville cemetery following the services. The church was filled with old friends and acquaintances and the floral offerings many and beautiful.
Honorary pall bearers: C. M. Rice, K. C. Campbell, E. O. LeFors, Jack Maxwell, Joe Peel, and W. J. Doke of Rogers, all old friends of the deceased. Active pall bearers were: E. R. Berry, Will Terry, Arlie Beck, Will Whayne, Dr. Ed James, Joplin, and R. C. Harris, Pea Ridge.
William Henry Cloe was born at Moss Springs, Missouri, located between Sarcoxie and Carthage, February 7, 1851. Moss Springs was destroyed during the Civil War.
Mr. Cloe's parents were William and Emily Truelove Cloe, who were born in Stafford County, Virginia. His grandfather, James Cloe, who was of Scotch and Welsh ancestry, moved from Scotland to Stafford County, Virginia, prior to 1790.
Mr. Cloe had one sister, Betty Cloe Lewis, and two brothers, Taylor and Amos Cloe, all deceased.
As a small boy during the Civil War, he endured many hardships, and assumed a man's responsibility. He and his mother, older sister, and two brothers went as refugees from their home in Fidelity, Missouri, where they had moved when he was a small child, to Sherman, Texas. They walked the entire distance, using a small cart the boys had used for play, with calves for a team, carrying necessary supplies on the cart. During this time the father having been taken a prisoner, was thought to be dead. After three years, during which time he suffered from illness and temporary blindness, the father began a search for his family; following all leads, he located the family in Sherman. With the aid of friends and his boys the father remained in Texas and made a living by farming until he brought his family to Benton county in 1867, locating near the present town of Centerton, where the boys farmed to make a living. William, after assisting in rehabilitating the farm and the family fortunes, was anxious to attend school. He had to join classes of boys much younger than himself, but he soon took his place among boys of his own age. He attended the school taught by Morgan H. Looney. He received many offers of assistance to enable him to go away to college, but the desire to assist in caring for his parents was stronger. He received a certificate to teach a common school in District of Benton County for three months beginning July 19, 1875.
Afterwards he worked for Mr. Josiah Claypool in the mercantile business for several years. In 1877 he and E. H. Looney, son of Morgan H. Looney, bought a drug store from Dr. John Smartt and they conducted... [piece cut off here. con'd on page two] ...Frances and Sam, all of whom survive, except Pearl, who passed away when she had just arrived at young womanhood.
Mr. Cloe served as sheriff of Benton County from Jan. 1, 1886 to Jan. 1, 1888. He became manager of the Benton County Nursery Company in 1892 and served in that capacity several years. He was townsite manager for the Kansas City Southern Railway Co. for a number of years, until he acquired what is now known as Radium Springs Corporation, eight miles east of Seligman, Missouri.
Mr. Cloe became a member of the Christian Church in his early manhood and was a charter member of the Bentonville Christian Church.
The following children survive: Mrs. Katherine Cloe Bohart, Los Angeles; Wm. H. Cloe, Jr., Chicago; Mrs. Frances Cloe McComb of Phoenix, Ariz., Sam C. Cloe of Los Angeles, and two granddaughters, Mrs. Katherine Bohart Kearney, of Los Angeles, Mrs. Pearl Eloise Bohart Spencer, of Los Angeles and three great grandchildren.
Morning News of Northwest Arkansas dated June 19, 2004
Morning News of Northwest Arkansas dated Tues Dec 9, 2003
Morning News of Northwest Arkansas dated Jan 31, 2004
