David Aulda Clay

David A. Clay, son of the late Aulda and Eveyln Clay, Jacksonville, Florida, passed away on January 26, 2026, in Asheville, North Carolina.

David was born in Beckley, West Virginia, and grew up in Zanesville, Ohio, and is a 1963 graduate of Zanesville High School. He studied at Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, before serving in the military.

David served in the U.S. Army from 1970-1972. During his tour of duty in Washington, D.C., he was a member of the prestigious Tomb Guard from the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard", Fort Myer, Virginia, that stands guard at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

David spent his business career in marketing and sales in the beverage industry. He spent the majority of his career with Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Inc., the multinational beverage conglomerate. He earned a reputation as one of the company's most effective marketing executives specializing in sales and marketing for Seagram's wines and spirits in the Southeastern United States. He retired as Senior Vice President and Zone Manager for Seagram Wine Company, overseeing marketing in a 23-state area that included 276 distributors, generating annual gross sales of $82 million.

During his career with Seagram's, David lived in Miami and later, in Tampa, Florida, where he was an Elder at the Hyde Park Presbyterian Church in Tampa, and a board member of Faith Café of Tampa, where he gained enjoyment from serving and spiritual fulfillment while serving an active role in the activities of the church.

He was a passionate pro football fan and enjoyed backing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. David and his wife, Rebecca (Becky) Clay, both enjoyed traveling together and made numerous trips to Europe to visit the European operations of Seagram's and the French vineyards that generated the renowned Seagram's wines.

David is survived by his spouse, Rebecca (Becky) Clay, Asheville, NC. Other surviving family members include his son David A. Clay II, Charlotte, NC. his grandsons, David Andrew Clay, Charlotte, NC and Adam Blake Clay, Meridian, Idaho, his sister Nancy Murray and husband Steve, Ormond Beach, Fla., nephew Joseph Murray and his wife Stephanie, St. Augustine, Fla. Among his family and relatives, he was playfully known as Cat Daddy.

David was a lifelong animal lover. Memorial donations in David Clay's name online to Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, Ashville, NC, or by mail to Brother Wolf, P.O. Box 8195, Asheville, NC 28814.