Thomas Christian Clay

Thomas Christian Clay, age 67 of Beaverdam, VA passed away peacefully in his sleep on October 6th, 2021. Thomas was born December 4, 1953 to Betty and “James” H.B. Clay and grew up in the town of Ashland with his 6 brothers and sisters. He married his high school sweetheart, Gail Clay, in 1976 and they had 2 daughters, Anna and Victoria. Thomas (or Tommy) loved hunting and fishing with his friends and family, was an avid reader of anything from non-fictional war stories to Lord of the Rings, and you would be hard pressed to find a better Jeopardy contestant. He was well known for his wit and sense of humor, and could always make anyone crack a smile. His love of animals was passed down, as he spent a lifetime taking in strays and unwanted dogs as family pets. He will be remembered as a kind-hearted, dependable father, husband, brother, grandfather, and friend. He was preceded in death by his mother Betty Farbach Clay, and his father “James” H.B. Clay. He is survived by his wife Gail Clay; children Anna Burnup (Scott) and Victoria Atkins (Richard); Siblings Karen Winston, Sandra Copler (Tom), Hollis Bondurant (Gary), James Clay (Bernadine), William Clay (Aurelia), and Andrew Clay (Karen); grandchildren Addison Atkins, Chase Atkins and Christian Burnup; and a host of nieces, nephews, and close friends. Visitation will be held Saturday, October 9th at Nelson Funeral Home from 4:00-6:00pm. Funeral Service will be held Sunday, October 10th at 2:00pm at Nelson Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to: The Summit Church, 11325 Mt Hope Church Rd. Doswell, VA 23047 Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.NelsenAshland.com for the Clay family.