Allen James Hay

Allen James Hay, 97, of Evansville, passed away Friday, July 8, 2011, at Deaconess Gateway Hospital in Newburgh, Indiana. He was born March 5, 1914, in Evansville, Indiana to William (Wilhelm) and Clara S. Hay (Hey).

He graduated from Bosse High School in 1932 and was hired at Servel. When Republic Aviation temporarily used Servel for the war effort, he was trained by the Air force in Farmingdale, New York as one of only eight people in the country to learn magnefluxing (a new way to detect cracks in airplane wings). As a result, he became the Quality Control Supervisor at Servel and later at Arkla Industries. He married Juanita May Lynn on July 4, 1940 and they were married 67 years. They had three children. He always stressed the importance of family, traveling the world and all fifty states in the US with his wife and children as well as later with his grandchildren. As a young man, curiosity took him on many adventures such as riding a bicycle to Louisville and hitchhiking around the country. He retired from Arkla in 1976 and continued his travels by organizing trips for the Arkla Retirees as well as serving as treasurer.

He loved gardening-raising tomatoes, corn, strawberries, blackberries, and other vegetables to sell to area residents.

Allen along with his wife, was a founding member of the Methodist Temple.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Juanita (in 2007); parents; and brother, Earl Hay.

Allen is survived by his son, Steven E. Hay and wife, Linda of Newburgh; daughter, Victoria J. Bertke and husband, Kenneth of Fredericksburg, VA; daughter, Nancy L. Ingram and husband, William of Bedford, Indiana; ex-daughter-in-law, Deanna Hay; grandchildren, Lori Koonce, Ellen White, Brandi LaMell, Jana Tsai, Jill Bertke, Jennifer Bowers, William Ingram, and Michael Ingram; and 13 great grandchildren.

Services will be 11:00 AM Tuesday, July 12, 2011, at Alexander East Chapel, officiated by Rev. David Niednagel, with burial in Oak Hill Cemetery. Friends may visit Monday from 3:00 to 8:00 PM and Tuesday from 9:00 AM until service time at the funeral home.

Contributions may be made to the Evansville Museum, 411 SE Riverside Drive, Evansville, IN 47713.