Lois Lay

September 15, 1945 - April 5, 2022

Memorial service for Lois Lay will be observed on Friday, April 8, 2022 at 10:00 with prayer and adoration at 9:30 for family at Sacred Heart of Jesus catholic church in Anniston, Alabama. Lois Marie Doss Lay was born on September 15, 1945 in Pascagoula, Mississippi when her father, Thomas Owens Doss, was recruited during WWII to work in the ship yards. At the age of 5, they moved back to Alabama after a bad hurricane came into town, and Eva Estelle Haynes Doss insisted on returning back home to Alabama, they moved into Wellborn area, at that time. Mom loved music, she started learning the piano and at the age of 12, she became the pianist for the services of her church. She would tell us, they would pick the songs for the service and she would learn how to play the songs during the week preceding to the service. She would tell us time and time again about how much she loved it. She graduated from Wellborn high school in 1963, and then went to college at Jacksonville State University, joining the music department. She was working a music event, in 1965 when she met Frederick Robert Lay and they got married a short time later. She postponed college to raise her 6 kids. She always wanted to go back and when she was in her 50s, took classes at JSU to continue her education. During the 1970s while being a homemaker, wife, and mother, she would teach piano lessons to kids. Mom taught us the importance of family, and the importance of always telling the truth. She had the most giving spirit and would help anyone that needed help. Many souls were touched by her helping hands. Mom researched her ancestors and found she was decent of Cherokee. She joined Cherokee tribe of northeast Alabama and was active member attending powwows and group meetings. Moms Indian name is Aliheliga Walela. She was really proud of that heritage. Mom became interested in the catholic church and begin attending and converted to Catholicism. She attended Sacred Heart of Jesus of Anniston. Mom developed dementia in her sixties and it seemed like a long battle had begun. Even with the loss of memory and all the problems that dementia brings, mom never lost her gentle, loving and giving spirit. Even in the end, she was still humming. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Frederick Robert Lay, 6 children, Robin Collins, Deborah Middleton (Horst "Lee") Mia Morales, Frederick "Bobby" Lay(Ann) , Janet Vicente-lay (Salvador "Chino") , Matthew Lay(Amber). Grandchildren: Thomas Collins, Victoria Collins, Christina Collins, Ashley Crawford, Nathan McGathy, Casey McGathy, Shanna Ingram, Cheyenne Lay, Devon Wilson, Madison Lay, Felix Vicente-Lay, Salvador Vicente-lay, (Leah) margarita Vicente-Lay. Great grandchildren, Zander Ingram, Nicholas Ingram, Hali Howell, and Anastasia Bombard. She was preceded in death by her grandson Dustin lay. We wish to acknowledge and thank the extraordinary help and knowledge of the southern hospice New Beacon to include Amber, Stacey, Jennifer, and Haley.