Obituary of Fay H. Earley

Fay Horace Earley, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend passed away on June 14, 2015, at the age of 72. Fay was born in Frog Level in Rutherford County, NC on December 6, 1942, the son of Ed Earley and Lois Toney Earley of Bostic, NC. Fay lived his early years in the Rutherford County area and graduated from Cool Springs High School in 1961 where he was senior class president and played for the baseball and football teams. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics from Appalachian State Teachers College (now Appalachian State University) in 1965. Fay moved to the Atlanta, GA area in 1965 to begin his career in education. He earned his Masters of Education and Specialist in Education degrees from the University of Georgia. He taught physics as well as coaching the baseball and football teams at Lakeside High School in DeKalb County, GA, Saint Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta and Newton County High School. He moved into education administration serving several years as Finance Director for Newton County Schools before going to the Clayton County School System 1980 as Coordinator of Mathematics. In Clayton County he later became the Director of Secondary Education and eventually Deputy Superintendent of Clayton County Schools where he retired in 1998 after 33 years in education. In 2001, Fay returned to the Blue Ridge mountains where he lived in Boone with his wife Kathy and began his full- time retirement doing the things he loved including hiking, photography, fishing and spending time with his grandsons. He volunteered with the Meals on Wheels program delivering meals to the homebound in the Boone and Blowing Rock areas. He was a member of Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church, in Blowing Rock where he served on the Administration and Finance committees. He is survived by his beloved wife Katherine Smith Earley of Boone, NC, his son and daughter-in-law Todd and Laurie Earley of Hoschton, GA, grandsons Jackson and Seth Earley, sister Carolyn Earley Lahey of Charlotte, NC, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and relatives. A memorial service will held on Saturday, June 27 at 2:00 p.m. at Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church, 1218 Main Street, Blowing Rock, NC 28605. The family will receive visitors from 1-2 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care, 902 Kirkwood Street NW< Lenoir, NC 28645 or to Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church, PO Box 393, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 in Fays memory. Online condolences may be shared with the Earley family at www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com. Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Earley family.