Melca Maude Lay

Melca was born in St. Catherine Jamaica to Lela Stephens and Iman Morgan on June 20,1930. She was raised by her aunt Belzena Reid-Frances and uncle William Frances. She attended Guanaboa Vale All Age School in Jamaica then went on to become a seamstress. Melca worked in the hospitality industry until she migrated to the US.

Melca married Johnny Lay on January 13th,1974 in Indianapolis. She worked for the Columbia Club, the Indianapolis Athletic Club, Baker and Daniels (now Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP) and St. Vincent Hospital among many other places.

She worked very hard into her eighties and was very much appreciative of how blessed she was by God to have maintained excellent health throughout her life. She was kind and helpful to anyone needing help. Melca was fiercely independent and was a great cook who made the best Christmas cakes.

Melca is preceded in death by her grandson Michael Frances Allison, her sister Esma Letts, parents Belzena and William Frances, niece Winsome Letts and nephew William Letts.

Melca is survived by daughters Lola Peart, Gene Allison, Merlene Chambers, Brenda Jones and son Donnovan Chambers, nieces Hazlene Davis, Angela Letts, Autherlene Letts, Christopher Letts, Eulisees Letts, Newton Letts, 14 grandchildren, great nieces and great nephews and a host of great and great great grandchildren.

Melca attended Abundant Harvest Methodist Church.

Visitation for Melca will be Saturday January 13th from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. at Crown Hill funeral Home and Cemetery with service from 11a.m.-12 noon. Burial will follow at Crown Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery.

The family of Melca Lay wishes to extend our sincere thanks to all of our family and friends, the medical staff at St. Vincent Hospital, the staff at Hooverwood Living and to our church family at Capitol City Seventh Day Adventist Church