William W. Clay ’34

William W. Clay ’34 died on September 23, 2009, in San Clemente, California.

He was born October 25, 1913, in Newburyport, Mass., and prepared for college at Clinton (Mass.) High School. He was a member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity.

He began his career as a truck driver for Canada Dry Ginger Ale in 1934 and was soon promoted to salesman. In 1936, he took a position as a salesman of rubberized work gloves at Hood Rubber Co., a subsidiary of B.F. Goodrich, and was eventually promoted to manager of the rubber gloves division.

He left Goodrich in 1948 to become President of the Granet Corp. in Framingham, Mass. He started working half time as a consultant when the company was sold to ESB Ray-O-Vac Inc. in 1976, and retired completely in 1979.

He served as a trustee of the Industrial Safety Equipment Association from 1966 to 1970, and as a director of the Work Glove Manufacturers Association. He was a trustee of Gordon College in Wenham, Mass., for many years, and of the Park Street Church in Boston.

He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Elizabeth Massey Clay, and daughter Nancy.