Alice Mary Dwyer Lay

Alice Mary Dwyer Lay "Our Loving Mother and Nana" Holladay - Alice Mary Dwyer Lay, 91, slipped peacefully away, Oct. 24, 2009 of causes incident to age. She was born September 16, 1918 in Melbourne, Australia to Ernest Stapleton Dwyer and Margaret Daisy Ashenden. Mum married Brainard Fisher Lay on June 24, 1944 while he was serving in the US Navy and stationed in Melbourne, later divorced. Together they had 10 children. She sacrificed her wants so that her children could have what they needed. Her life was worn out cooking, cleaning, caring for, loving and serving her family. She took notice of the beauty surrounding her. Mum had an avid interest in tennis and knitting. She was a great lover of the written word including word puzzles and poetry. Mum made the trip from Australia to the US and back more than 20 times over the years. The family joined the LDS Church in Australia in 1956 and was sealed in the New Zealand Temple in 1968. Her life ran the gamut from living in a circus tent for over a year to camping out under the stars for a summer while preparing other living quarters, to melting snow for water to cook and feed her family on a wood stove, to washing clothes by hand in a tub after heating water on a wood fire. Dad saw to it that life was not monotonous as he frequently moved the family from one "adventure" to another. She could convey her feelings by her expressive nature without her speaking a word. She dealt with the trials in her life with her unique sense of humor and sarcasm all the way to the end. In her late 50's she needed to go back to the Salt Lake Community College to finish her education so that she could support and provide for her large family. She had many callings in life and in the church, and loved being surrounded with babies. She was the last remaining sibling. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, son David and his wife Marilyn, grandson Anthony Johnson, granddaughter Tamara Wever and granddaughter Lindsey Lawson Lay. She is survived by her children Shirley Wever, Australia; Barbara (Darrell) Tolman, Bountiful; Michael (Rose) Lay, Australia; Margaret (Robert) Rogerson - twin sister to David, Australia; Christine Johnson, Eagle Mountain; Jared (Roberta) Lay, Sandy; Kathleen (Kim) Felice, Salt Lake City; Mark (Frances) Lay, Layton and Jenny (Scott) Duncan, West Jordan. She is also survived by 34 grandchildren and 37.5 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. at the Holbrook Mortuary, 3251 S. 2300 E., where friends and family may visit from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. prior to the service. Interment: Salt Lake City Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent to the family at: www.holbrookmortuary.com