Larry Kay, 72, of Joaquin Texas, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 15, 2018, in Houston, Texas, with his devoted daughter Amanda by his side.

 

Visitation will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday, September 17, 2018, at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center, Texas. A memorial service honoring and celebrating Larry’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 18, 2018, at Watson & Sons. Interment will follow at Lone Cedar Cemetery in Joaquin, Texas.

 

Larry Kay was born April 14, 1946 in Center, Texas, to Fred Kay and Ruth Fleming Kay, of Huxley, Texas. Larry grew up in Huxley surrounded by the large Kay family. Larry graduated from Joaquin High School, in Joaquin, Texas where he excelled on the football field. After graduating Larry began a career in construction that took him all over the world, including the Middle East and Asia.  A lifelong resident of Joaquin, Larry operated a farm in the Lone Cedar Community with Billie Jean, his beloved wife of forty-nine years. Larry and Billie Jean enjoyed raising horses and cattle and supporting their daughters in their rodeo careers. Larry had an incredible eye for selecting great horses.

 

Larry was an avid hunter. He enjoyed deer hunting, elk hunting, and dove hunting. Some of his most treasured hunting trips include those to Merkel, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Kentucky, with his family and friends.

 

After he retired, you could find him on his Ranger, riding through his property alongside his black labs. He loved working on his tractor, clearing and cleaning his property, and planting feed plots for his deer and grasses for the horses. Larry proudly showed off his granddaughters, Lila and Ava, to those he greeted. He frequently took Lila and Ava to feed his cows and to visit neighbors and friends.  To know Larry was to know an honest, hard-working husband, father, and grandfather. Larry will be remembered for his strength, loyalty, and love of family.

 

Survivors include the following:

 

Wife:

Billie Jean Kay, of Joaquin, Texas

 

Children:

LeAnn Kay Rafferty and husband Matthew of Joaquin, Texas

Amanda Kay of Fort Worth, Texas

 

Grandchildren:

Lila Lawson Rafferty of Joaquin, Texas

Ava Frances Rafferty of Joaquin, Texas

 

Nieces:

Nanette Hendricks, of Douglassville, Texas

Cassie Thompson, of Atlanta, Texas

Selisha Cockrell, of Joaquin, Texas

DeAnn Niles, of Sumpter, South Carolina

Jennifer Griffin Groves, of Joaquin, Texas

 

Nephews:

Harold Kay, Jr., of Tenaha, Texas

Jason Griffin, of Joaquin, Texas

Numerous cousins and great nieces and nephews.

 

Preceded in death by:

Parents: Fred Kay and Ruth Fleming Kay

Brothers: Howard Thomas Kay and Harold Dewitt Kay Sr.

Jason Griffin, Buddy Kay, Ken Kay, John Paul Lawson, Ryan Sanders, and Kenny Weeks will serve as pallbearers.

 

Honorary pallbearers will be Jackie Cooper, Nolan Cooper, Billy Jack Corbell, Jerry Griffin, Donald O’Rear, Joseph E. Parker, Gus Permenter, and Hugh Daw. 

 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Lone Cedar Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund- 2748 CR 3373, Joaquin, TX 75954 and the Strong Cemetery Fund- PO Box 1383, Center, TX 75935.

 

Online condolences and tributes can be sent at www.watsonandsonsfuneralhome.com