Gloria Clay, 96, of Grinnell and formerly of Ft. Madison, Iowa, died on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at her residence at the Mayflower Community in Grinnell.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 am on Friday, December 22, 2023 at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. A luncheon will follow the service in the Heritage Room of the Smith Funeral Home. Interment will be held at a later date at Oakland Cemetery in Ft. Madison, Iowa.

Memorials may be designated to the Mayflower Community Human Needs Fund and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home and Crematory, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with Gloria's family online at www.smithfh.com.

Gloria Irene Sherwood was born to Frank M. and Ethel (Sharp) Sherwood in Shelby County, Ohio on September 2, 1927. She graduated from Quincy High School in Quincy, Ohio and received a BA degree in education from The Ohio State University.

On April 8, 1950, she married Max W. Clay. She taught in schools in Ohio. Later the family moved to Fort Madison, Iowa, where she taught business courses at Fort Madison High School. In 1997 they moved to the Mayflower Community in Grinnell.

She was a member of the Grinnell United Methodist Church, the UMW, T.T.T., Pi Rho Lambda, and the Grinnell Hospital Auxiliary. She was very devoted to her family. She enjoyed attending activities in which her children and grandchildren were involved and was very proud of their accomplishments. She enjoyed reading, bridge, crossword puzzles, and participating in functions at the Mayflower.

Gloria is survived by a son, Dave (Diana) Clay of Scottsdale, AZ; a daughter, Karen (Dan) Kruse of Ankeny, IA; and four grandchildren, Josh (Jen) Clay of Bend, OR, Jamie Tinkle of Flagstaff, AZ and her children, Addy, Ellie, and Charlie, Adam (Angela) Kruse of Urbandale, IA and their children, Ava and Dawson, and Aaron (Tara) Kruse of Spirit Lake, IA and their son, Max. Gloria was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; three sisters, Esther Smith, Gladys Sherwood, and Mariana Melhom; two brothers, Franklin and Jay Sherwood, and a son, Stephen.