William Austin "Bill" Lay Jr.

William Austin Lay, Jr. was born October 17, 1922, to William Austin Lay, Sr. and Lillian Agatha Lay (Shorn), in Fort Worth, Texas. He died July 23, 2025, in Rogers, Arkansas. He is survived by his wife of 78 years, Carolyn Adair Lay (Swingle), sons William Frank Lay and wife Lori, Joseph Adair Lay and wife Paula, and John David Lay and wife Linda (Pickle). In addition, he leaves 8 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
Bill grew up in Decatur, Arkansas, graduating in the top ten of his 1940 high school class. (There were eleven graduates). After graduation, he worked briefly at Brown Dunkin department store in Tulsa, then joined the U.S. Army Air Force in January, 1942. After training in aircraft mechanics, he shipped out to a new assignment with the USAAF in England. He was assigned to the 446th Bomb Group, 8th USAAF, Bungay Air Base, England. The group flew B-24 operations in the European campaign. Bill was a crew chief supervising a crew of mechanics who maintained the squadron planes. He was awarded a Bronze Star for meritorious service along with many other medals. He was discharged from the USAAF in December, 1945.
After WWII, Bill worked for Beechcraft Aviation in Tulsa, while attending the University of Tulsa on the GI Bill and studying engineering. He met Carolyn Adair Swingle at Beechcraft and they married June 29, 1947, at First Presbyterian Church in Tulsa. Bill then worked for American Airlines at the company's primary aircraft maintenance base in Tulsa, first as a line mechanic, later as the supervisor of replacement parts inventory and emergency repairs. He retired from American Airlines in 1981, after 35 years service.
The family moved from Tulsa to Broken Arrow in the summer of 1959. Bill served 15 years in the city government as a member of the Planning Commission and later as a City Councilman. He also served as a Deacon and Elder at First Presbyterian Church in Broken Arrow. He was a founding member and Scoutmaster of Troop 151, Boy Scouts of America, which was sponsored by First Presbyterian Church.
After retirement, Bill and Carolyn moved to Rogers in 1983 and purchased a house on Beaver Lake, where he remained for the rest of his life. He has been an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Rogers, serving as a Deacon and Elder, and many other roles for the church.