Louise Fairley Clay, 81, court employee, actress, family matriarch

LOUISE FAIRLEY CLAY was serious about entertaining, as evidenced by the 20 sets of china she accumulated over the years.

But the dinners she loved to host featured more than good food. They featured laughter.

"Laughter was a distinct feature of her dinner parties," said her granddaughter, Leah Smiley. "No games, no drama, no arguing, just good old-fashioned jesting.

"It was easy to get offended at those family functions, but Louise would gracefully direct our attention and laughter toward herself."

Louise Clay, a retired employee of the Philadelphia court system, a sometimes actress and a world traveler, died of cancer May 22. She was 81 and was living in Ocean Springs, Miss., but had lived more than 50 years in Philadelphia.

She was born in Montgomery, Ala., to Thelma and Jack Fairley. The family moved to Biloxi, Miss., where she attended Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic High School.

She met her future husband, John H. Clay, a Philadelphian who was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi.

Louise's mother would hold dinner parties every Sunday for the black airmen on the base. John was a gifted musician who played the piano at some of these gatherings, and later played for the Billy Graham crusades.

Louise was 18 when she married John Clay. He was stationed overseas when their first child, Ramona, was born in Warrington, England.

"As the first black baby in Warrington in 1953, it was so newsworthy that Ramona was on the front page of the newspaper," said Leah Smiley, Ramona's daughter.

After his discharge, the family moved to Philadelphia. John completed law school and passed the bar examination. He set up his practice in Philadelphia and among his accomplishments was helping minority homeowners who were dislocated by the Philadelphia International Airport expansion.

The family moved to Wynnefield, to a four-level brick home with an in-ground pool.

"As one of the first black families in a predominantly Jewish area, John and Louise made many friends among Philadelphia's political and social elite," said Leah, who is president of the Society for Diversity.

Louise loved traveling, and visited England, Africa and India, among other, often exotic, destinations.

She performed locally as an actress and was a member of the Screen Actors Guild. She was employed for many years by the Philadelphia court system.

Louise also had a passion for flea markets, and wouldn't pass up a chance to catch one on the weekends.

Her marriage ended in divorce.

Louise took her later role as grandmother seriously. "My sister said, 'I can't remember one major life event that Grandma Clay missed,' " Leah Smiley wrote.

"Now that I am older, I fully appreciate having someone like Louise in my life. In memory of this great woman, I encourage you to think about how you can apply laughing with grace, living with freedom, and loving with persistence."

Besides her daughter Ramona, she is survived by another daughter, Paula Hackett; a son, Anthony Clay; a stepson, Stacy Clay; a brother, Leo "Sonny" Johnson; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Services: A Celebration of Life at noon Saturday, July 25, at Pinn Memorial Baptist Church, 2251 N. 54th St.