Howard Franklin Clay

Funeral Services for Howard Franklin Clay of Winnsboro, LA, will be held at Mulhearn Funeral Home, Winnsboro, LA, at 11:00AM, Saturday May 31, 2025. Reverend John Albright will officiate. Interment will follow in New Winnsboro Cemetery, Winnsboro, LA, under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home. Visitation will be held from 10:00AM until service time on Saturday.

Franklin was born October 16, 1936, in Rondo, Arkansas to the union of Ivon Ulie Clay and Robbie Rogene Howard Clay and passed from this life on May 28, 2025.

Franklin graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture in 1961. He worked in the agricultural industry his entire career. In 1976 he started his own crop consultant business,” Clay's Consultant Service”, and worked for farmers in Franklin and Richland parishes until he retired in 2008. Franklin and his family moved to Winnsboro in 1962 where they became members of First Presbyterian Church. He served as a Deacon and then as an Elder for the next 63 years. He took part in all church activities including teaching youth and later adult classes. Every Sunday morning, he took it on as his job to unlock the church, make coffee, pick up trash in the church yard, sweep the steps and porches and turn on the heat or air conditioning.

He served his country as a member of the National Guard.

In his free time Franklin was an avid reader. Thus, he was knowledgeable in many subjects. As a young man he enjoyed golf, but soon decided it took too much time form his young family. He loved fishing with his family and gardening. He also was a volunteer baseball coach for Little League while his sons played the game.

He is preceded in death by his parents, and his sister Janice Clay Webb.

Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Carol Corder Clay; three sons: Gregory Lynn Clay (Ashlie) of Athens AL; Michael Wayne Clay (Laurie) of Hallsville, TX: Patrick Allen Clay (Christy) of Fresno, CA; seven grandchildren: Samuel Howard Clay (Alesha) David Nathaniel Clay (Rachel) Gregory Paul Clay (Lara) John Steven Clay (Jennifer) Abigail Marie Clay, Elizabeth Ashlie Clay, and Anna Catherine Clay; one brother: Ivon Leon Clay (Martha), four great grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.

Pallbearers will be Samuel Clay, David Clay, Paul Clay, John Clay, Brad Guice and Lemar Bullard.

Honorary pallbearers will be John Guice, Bob Moroni, Charles Ramage, and Aaron Scott.

In lieu of flowers the family request that donations be made to First Presbyterian Church, 6583 Main St., Winnsboro, LA 71295, or Living Waters for the World, www.livingwatersfortheworld.org