Arlene "Buddy" Clay

1912 - 2016

Arlene "Buddy" Clay passed away peacefully on Feb. 11, 2016, due to a severe stroke. She was 103 years young. Arlene was born in Gardiner, Maine, on Aug. 2, 1912, to Annie Mayne Palmer and Charles Gordon Palmer. She was raised in Mexico, Maine, and graduated from high school in 1929. She then entered the New England Conservatory of music. She graduated from there in 1934. While at the Conservatory, she met Earl V. Clay and they married on June 26, 1936. They then moved to Manchester, N.H., where Earl was the conductor of the New Hampshire state symphony. Arlene played trumpet in the conservatory symphony orchestra. In December 1943, Arlene and Earl left for Seattle, Wash., by train in response to an ad from the Civil Aeronautics Administration, forerunner of the FAA. After arriving in Seattle, they received six months of training at Boeing field as aircraft communicators and controllers. The Army then flew her and Earl to Nome, Alaska, where they worked for the CAA as aircraft communicators and controllers. In September 1944, they transferred to Aniak, Alaska. Arlene and Earl then spent 10 years driving dog teams all over the Aniak area. They visited trappers, prospectors and generally explored the rural area. After Earl died in 1956, Arlene stayed at the homestead, which was about three miles upriver from Aniak. She took two jobs, one as a postal clerk and the other as secretary at the CAA. She commuted to work by dog team in the winter and by boat in the summer. In 1960, Arlene became the magistrate for the Alaska Courts and was responsible for 12 of the surrounding villages. She served in this position for 17 1/2 years. Magistrates had all the power of the U.S. Commissioner. It was during this time that defendants received the right to demand a jury for misdemeanor trials. This resulted in more travel for trials in the villages. The State troopers would fly to Aniak and to alert her, they would buzz her cabin at the home site; she would then drive the boat, snow machine or hook up the dog team, and meet them in Aniak. Arlene Clay was always known as Mrs. Clay. While she didn't have a degree in law, it was not required at the time. She was known as a tough but fair magistrate judge. One story that circulated concerned a couple of attorneys that came out from Bethel, Alaska, for a hearing. They were dressed in blue jeans and had no ties. She told them that when appearing in her court they were to wear suits and ties or she would hold them in contempt. They got the message and dressed appropriately from then on. She always wore her robe and while court was held in her house in those early days, strict courtroom protocol was required. Arlene retired from the Alaska Court System in 1977, but continued to live in Aniak for many more years. In May 2012, Clay received the Judge Nora Quinn Award from the Alaska Bar Association which "is presented to an individual Alaskan who has made an extraordinary or sustained effort to assist Alaska's rural residents, especially its native population, and has overcome language and cultural barriers to obtaining justice through the legal system." She was further honored at a reception in Aniak on June 27, 2012, with the dedication of the new courtroom in her honor. The program for this event referred to Clay as "the face of the Alaska Court System during the early years of statehood." Arlene was inducted into the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2011, Arlene moved to the Primrose Retirement Community in Wasilla, Alaska, where she was able to put up her ham radio antennas, and participated every night on the ham sniper net. She also checked everyone in each Thursday night. In lieu of flowers, Arlene would be pleased if any donations made in her honor went to your favorite animal shelter/rescue group. She had an enduring love of animals. A celebration of her life will be held at the Primrose Retirement Community on Feb. 20, 2016, at 3 p.m. Arrangements are with Janssen's Mat-Su Funeral Home.