Richard E. Clay Sr.

09/02/1942- 10/19/2026 

Richard Eugene (Dick) Clay Sr. passed away in Indiana on October 19, 2026 after suffering damages from multiple bouts of sepsis after an elective back surgery in March. He elected to have the back surgery in order to better care for his wife and spend more time enjoying going to watch his grandchildren in their sports and activities. Richard is predeceased by his brothers Thomas (Tom) Clay and Edward (Eddie) Clay, his sister Carol Ann Johnson, his father Thomas Clay Sr., his mother Teresa Clay, and his firstborn son (stillborn) Peter Clay. Richard is survived by his wife Claudia (Solis) Clay, children Richard Eugene (Rick) Clay Jr. and his wife Andrea (Andi) Clay, Teresa (Teri) Mercedes (Clay) Waterford and her husband Nathan (Nate) Waterford, Patrick Anthony (Pat) Clay and his wife Brittney Clay, and Cathlyn Ann (Cathy) Clay and her husband Tristan Magtira, and grandchildren Jade Lee (Clay) Tabor, Autumn Frost Wood, Riley Nicole (Clay) Dvorak, Nash Rowan Waterford, Nolan Clay Waterford, Ellie Rose Waterford, Connor James Clay, and Maxwell Anthony Clay.

Richard was born in Springfield, IL on September 2, 1942 to Thomas Elton Clay and Teresa Jean (Kohlrus) Clay. He attended Cathedral Catholic Boys High School in Springfield, IL and then served in the US Navy. After he left the service he married Claudia Maria (Solis) Clay on August 1,1964 in Springfield, IL and started a family shortly after. He worked full time and attended college in Chicago, earning a degree from Chicago Technical College, where he became an Electrical Engineer. He had a successful and highly esteemed career which started in Dearborn, MI where he worked for Frito Lay before moving to Bloomington, IN where he worked for GE. He then worked in Midland, TX and overseas for Exxon Mobile and Saudi Aramco as a superintendent for oil refineries, overseeing the planning, ordering of materials, and construction of refineries in places ranging from Texas and Alaska, to overseas including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Nigeria, and Kuwait to name a few. While in Kuwait, Richard was held captive during Desert Storm and formed a plan to escape, saving several Filipino workers’ lives as well as his own. He made national news after doing this and was the subject of a tv show, Against All Odds, with a reenactment and retelling of the story of his escape from Kuwait. In true Dick Clay fashion, there was an infallible “no quit” attitude. He replicated documentation to make himself look like he was Filipino, as they were not allowing Americans to exit, carving a Filipino official seal out of a flip flop and forging a document to gain exit. He then stole multiple school buses to get everyone out. This “no quit’ attitude is one Richard has not only had his entire life, but he has passed on to his children and grandchildren. Even in Richard’s later years, he was still a highly sought after superintendent for oil companies, even receiving offers to continue working up until his last days. He was entertaining the idea of going back to work after the back surgery recovery, which we have no doubt would have happened had he been able to recover. 

Although Richard’s career was his passion, his true love was his family. He enjoyed sitting with his wife, kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews and friends and just having talks about life, politics, sports, and the world around us. He was extremely smart, witty, and had the best sense of humor. While he could be misunderstood as being blunt and “rough around the edges” he truly was a soft-hearted man who just wanted the best for his family and those around him. He taught his children and grandchildren to be faithful servants of the Lord, to have a strong work ethic, to be honest, caring, fair, and loyal. He taught the value of working for what you have, education, and self-reliance. He also taught the importance of self worth, confidence, and standing up for oneself, even if you are misunderstood by others as a result. He was truly one of a kind and we will all dearly miss him until we meet again.