Mr. Matthew H. Clay, Jr. 60, of Lake Charles, Louisiana former;of Beaumont, Texas passed away on Saturday, August 17, 2019 at Memorial Herman Hospital in Houston, Texas.

Matthew Honer Clay, Jr. (Clayee), the always reliable "doer" within his immediate and extended families, was born on April 23, 1959, in Beaumont, Texas, as the third child and first son of the late Matthew Honer Clay and Larutha Odom Clay.  Matthew, Jr. found the Lord at an early age and was baptized at Starlight Missionary Baptist Church.

From youngest childhood, Clayee possessed an exuberance for life – finding joy in a good (or corny) joke, the hidden beat within a song, or a well-executed play on the football field. Clayee quickly developed into an outstanding all-around athlete, playing football, basketball and running track for Odom Junior High School, and serving as a right fielder on the Dodgers Little League baseball team in Beaumont.

Matthew's athletic prowess continued into high school, where he lettered in varsity track and football at Hebert High School, including playing running back during his senior year on the Hebert Panthers State High School Football Championship team in 1977. That season, he received All District, Golden Triangle Super Gold and Super 22 Team honors as well.

Matt's gridiron success in high school led to a full, football scholarship at Lamar University, also in Beaumont, where he lettered as a Running Back and earned a degree in Instrumentation and Electronics in 1983.

Upon graduation, Clayee was employed as an Instrument Technician at Conoco Oil/Targa Resources in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and worked at that organization for more than thirty-five years.

Matthew Clay, Jr. departed this life on Saturday, August 17, 2019 and is survived by his sisters, Mathia Lanell Clay of Richardson, TX and Lareatha Honette Clay of Dallas, TX; his brother, Tracey Kenry Clay and sister-in-law  Raynetta Jackson Clay of Bowie, MD; nephews Mathis Lamar Clay (Richardson, TX), Jackson Kenry Clay (Bowie, MD), Randall Odom Clay (Los Angeles, CA) and Everett Raymond Clay (Bowie, MD), his Uncle S.T. Odom (Berkeley, CA), Uncle Elzie Odom and Aunt Ruby Odom (Arlington, TX), Aunt Juanita Odom (Missouri City, TX), Godchildren, Kristin Sanders (Houston, TX) and Daniel Williams, Jr. (Beaumont, TX), and a host of cousins and other extended family and friends.

A celebration of Clayee's life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at Starlight Missionary Baptist Church; 1090 Buford Street with burial to follow at Magnolia Cemetery in Beaumont. A public viewing will be held on Friday, August 23, 2019 from 12:00 noon until 5:30 p.m. at Mercy Funeral Home Chapel and a visitation from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at the Church on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, the family asks family and friends to consider donating to the Shankleville Historical Society, Inc. at 3150 Dorothy St.; Beaumont 77705 or Paypal.me/Shankleville.