David Fay Sr.

David G. Fay Sr., aged 67, died Tuesday, July 17, at home with his family by his side after a courageous 12-year battle with cancer.

He was the husband of Patricia (Pat) Delaney Fay, his wife of 25 years.

He was born March 5, 1940, in Brighton, Mass., the son of Leo M. and Mary M. (Kelly) Fay. He was educated in public schools in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

Mr. Fay served in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged in early February 1961. By the middle of that month he was employed by the Warren (Pa.) Times-Mirror, beginning a journalism career that spanned nearly a half a century, carrying him to Russia when it was still the Soviet Union; to other parts of Europe, as well as throughout the United States and Canada.

He spent part of his early career in management, serving as editor of the Pennsylvania Mirror, State College, PA., and of the Evening Times, Pawtucket, R.I., but preferred to return to the everyday life of a writer and editor. He spent the last 25 years reporting on the Washington Capitals of the NHL for the Washington Times. His last article appeared on Thursday, July 12. He also covered the Washington Redskins during their 1991 Super Bowl winning season.

Mr. Fay was the recipient of 12 writing awards, most under the auspices of the Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers' Association. His most recent award, the one he was most proud of, was the Elmer Ferguson Award, given by the Hockey Hall of Fame, for his outstanding work as a beat writer covering the Washington Capitals. Named in honor of the late Montreal newspaper reporter, the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award was first presented in 1984 by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association in recognition of distinguished members of the newspaper profession. The award will be given to the Fay family at the awards luncheon during the Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Weekend on Monday, November 12, 2007.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars; the Tin Can Sailors, a veterans' group composed of former destroyer crewmen; a life member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association; and the Professional Football Writers Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Eddie, and his first wife, Mary (Goulding).

In addition to his wife he is survived by four sons: Robert F. Fay and David G. Fay Jr., both of State College, Pa.; Leo M. Fay of Wyoming and Michael LaChance of Monrovia; and by six grandchildren, Jon, Sarah, Vince and Doug Fay, all of State College, Pa.; Tyler Bailey and Serena LaChance, both of Frederick; and two sisters, Nance Sanborn of Plymouth, N.H. and Martha Fay Africa of Oakland, Calif.

The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 20, at Stauffer Funeral Home, 8 E. Ridgeville Blvd., Mount Airy. A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 21, at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church, 4103 Prices Distillery Rd, Ijamsville, MD 21754.

No flowers. Memorial contributions may be made in David's name to Hockey Fights Cancer, P.O. Box 5037, New York, NY 10185-5037 or Hockey's All-Star Kids Foundation, National Hockey League, 1251 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Canadian friends may send memorial contributions to Hockey Fights Cancer, P.O. Box 1282, Station B, Montreal, Quebec H3B 3K9.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.staufferfuneral-home.com.

_PaperDate 7/17/07