Helen Clay

Helen Elizabeth Clay, 72, of Brenham died on June 6, 2015 at Brenham Nursing and Rehab in Brenham. A Memorial service will be held Saturday, June 13, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at Memorial Oaks Chapel. Visitation with the family will be 9:00 a.m. Saturday, prior to the service. Helen was born in Houston, TX. at Heights Hospital on October 11, 1943 to Mattie Rachel Smiley Hartnett and Bryan William Hartnett. She attended and graduated from Glena Park High School in 1961. She married Thomas Kinard in 1963 and had one child, Dana. They later divorced. Helen later moved to Brenham to be near family and soon after married Nestor Clay. Helen worked at the Brenham State School as an accounting clerk for 35 years. She loved the people she worked with as well as loved her job. She had many fond memories and would share them often with her family and anyone else that would listen. She retired several years ago allowing her the time to spend with her grandchildren, Dakota and Dalton. Her grandchildren were everything to her. She was a member of the Independence Baptist Church which she dearly loved; she later became a member of the Vineyard Church of Brenham. Helen had a true love for people, a heart for giving and doing for others. She volunteered for several organizations until her health would no longer allow her to do so. Helen enjoyed spending time with her family, this time meant the most to her as well as to them. Those who will miss her most: daughter Dana and son-in-law Dennis Barron of Brenham, granddaughter Dakota and grandson Dalton, both of Brenham, brothers: Bob Hartnett and Eileen White of Bellville; Bryan and Sherry Hartnett of Hondo. She will also be missed by nieces and nephews: Richard and Cary Sims of Bellville; Sherry Hartnett of Brenham; Robbie and Clyde Fuchs of Missouri; Jerry and Kim Hartnett of Brenham; Tricia and Matt Buerger of Brenham; David Sims of Brenham; Angela Sims and Neil Derryberry of Marble Falls; Will and Regina Hartnett of San Angelo; Lindsey and Tim Leal of Yancey and Lacey Hartnett of San Antonio. Many great-nieces and great-nephews will also truly miss her. Helen was preceded in death by her parents, dear sister Martha Sims, precious sister-in-law Charlene Hartnett, and husbands. Memory by her beloved granddaughter; "I could share with you a thousand stories of my grandmother. I could tell you all of the stories she told over and over. I could describe her in many ways; to sum it up Helen Clay, my grandmother, was an amazing woman. She may have not thought so or maybe she was too modest to agree, but she was. She had the biggest heart, the smartest mouth and the spunkiest attitude. My grandmother was, and is everything I want to be; a "glamorous" party loving young woman, a wonderful, loving mother and grandmother, a kind, understanding woman and a woman of God. I am so blessed to have had her in my life. I will miss her voice, her laugh, even sharing a blizzard from Dairy Queen and most of all her hugs and kisses. My grandmother always told me I meant the world to her, I don''t think she realized how much she meant to me. She will always be my "Gee". Memorials may be given in support of the American Heart Association. Funeral arrangements for Helen Clay are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main, Brenham. To post a tribute to the family, visit www.memorialoakschapel.com.