Sharon Kay Lay

Park Hill, OK - Sharon Kay Kelley Lay was born on Thursday, June 14th, 1956 in Watts, OK, the daughter of Jeff Marion and Mamie Marie (Watkins) Kelley. She grew up in a household with five brothers and six sisters, attended school and graduated from Westville High School and then began her college studies at Northeastern State University. She married the love of her life and her best friend, Kevin Lay on March 6th, 1982 in Tahlequah, OK. Together they raised a family of two daughters, Alicia and Cassie. Sharon was employed by the Cherokee Nation as the Director over Housing Rehab. There was nothing that gave her such satisfaction as helping the people that came to her for assistance. When she married Kevin, they began their life living in Alaska, where Sharon was employed with the city of Unalaska and Dutch Harbor. While living there, she enjoyed the salmon runs, halibut fishing and traveling around seeing all of the beauty. Oklahoma called her back to her home, and they returned here. When she wasn’t working, she was very talented with her hands and made beautiful Indian bead work, baskets, flutes, blow guns, and collected dolls, knitted and made floral arrangements. She was never idle long. She was wonderful in the kitchen, making fried chicken and mashed potatoes, Mexican Chicken, earthquake cake and lots of goodies for the grandchildren. She was always ready to take a trip, especially if it involved the beach, the ocean called her name, and she couldn’t wait to smell the salt air and feel the sand in her toes, reading a little Stephen King novel, while listening to her favorite old 60’s favorites playing in the background. She was smart, loving, ornery and patient. Her family was always first and foremost in her life, and she would never ran out of time to spend with her eleven adored grandchildren. She never missed a chance to share in their lives and their interests, every band performance, every sporting event, celebrating the important milestones of a birthday or graduation, Sharon was there, beaming with pride and admiration. Holidays were where Sharon shined for her family, working to make their holiday dreams come true. She passed form this life all too soon on Sunday, June 16th, 2019 in Tahlequah, OK with those she loved close by her side. She was 63 years old. She will be greatly missed.

She is preceded in death by her mother and father, two brothers, JD and Johnny Kelley, one sister, Patsy Thompson and one beloved granddaughter, Emma McKee.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband of 37 years, Kevin Lay, and her daughters, Alicia Buckner and husband William of Woodall, and Cassie Carloss of Tahlequah, OK. She also leaves three brothers and five sisters, Billie Joe Kelley and wife Frances of Proctor, OK, Jerry Kelley and wife Carolyn of Jay, OK, Michael Kelley and wife Tammy of Tahlequah, Ruthie McGowin of Park Hill, OK, Maudie Glass and husband Bobby, Thelma Stump of Deepwater, MO, Judy Bear of Westville, OK, and Kathy Leroy of Kansas, OK. Sharon lives on in her ten grandchildren, Ellic Miller, Raven Claxton, Hannah Coleman, Xander Coleman, Kyla Jones, Kobe Jones, Brandon Jones, Isabel Kelley, Connor McKee, and Addison Carloss, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones.