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Ella Mae Daily Peay

January 17, 1939 - March 30, 2023

Ella Mae Daily Peay

Ella Mae Daily Peay, 84, of Owensboro, died Thursday March 30, 2023 at the Heartford House under the care of Hospice of Western Kentucky. She was born on January 17, 1939, to the late Claud and Melvilla Daily. She retired after a loyal, 51-year career at the Messenger-Inquirer, working in several positions including administration, human resources, and accounting.

 

Ella Mae was kind-hearted, generous, and put her family above all else. She was adventurous and loved to travel with her family, especially annual trips to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee with her daughters and grandchildren or her brother Jim and his wife Brenda. She loved to plan trips and always packed enough snacks to feed the whole family on however long a journey. She loved to garden, bake sweets, and listen to classic country music.

 

Outside of work, she served as an original board member of the Goodfellows Club of Owensboro. She organized the organization’s annual Christmas parties and worked tirelessly to provide assistance to needy children in Daviess County. She received the Ann Sabetta Memorial Service Award from the Goodfellows in 2006 in recognition of her crucial service that made the organization what it is today.

 

She was a faithful member of First General Baptist Church and served her church her whole life, particularly its children. She graciously opened her home for youth ministry and served countless weeks caring for kids in the nursery. She loved to attend weekly services and gospel singings with her husband, Ray, listening to some of her favorites including “In the Garden”, “Victory in Jesus,” and “How Great Thou Art.”

 

She is reunited in Heaven with her parents, Claud and Melvilla Daily; three brothers, Houston, Robert, and James Daily; half-brother George Neal; and half-sister Mamie Pierce.

 

She is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Carl Ray Peay; sister Henrietta Thomson; sister-in-law Brenda Daily; daughters, Debbie (John) Roberts, Paige (Dennis) Young, and Heather (Bob) Clark; grandchildren, Rebecca (Jon) Martin, Robert Mason (Karli) Clark, and Emmy Young; and great­-granddaughter Elayna Martin.

 

Ella Mae’s family would like to give heartfelt thanks to the staff at the Heartford House and Heartland Villa Center in Lewisport for providing such excellent care to their wife, sister, mom, and grandma over the past couple of years. Your hard work and compassion meant the world to Ella Mae and those who loved her.

 

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 2, 2023 at James H. Davis Funeral Home and Crematory. Burial will follow in Owensboro Memorial Gardens. Visitation is from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. until the time of service on Sunday at the funeral home.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you send donations to the charity that Ella Mae poured so much of her life into, The Goodfellows Club of Owensboro, c/o The Messenger Inquirer, 1401 Frederica Street Owensboro, KY 42301.