Obituary of Maezell Lay

86, passed away at Redlands Community Hospital on April 15, 2011. Maezell was born March 1, 1925, in Lake Mississippi to Robert and Miller Johnson. She attended Mount Olive Baptist Church where she was baptized at an early age. On December 26, 1940, Maezell married her childhood sweetheart, Lonnie Joe Lay and they were happily married for 61 years. They moved from Mississippi to Palm Springs in 1951 and in 1956 they moved to Banning, CA where they raised their family. To this union they were blessed with two sons, David Joe Lay and Matthew Lay. Maezell enjoyed fishing with her husband, attending plays, concerts and listening to music. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family and preparing her specialty, collard greens. Maezell was preceded in death by her husband Lonnie Joe Lay, her son David Joe Lay and her parents, Robert and Miller Johnson; 2 sisters, Nina Ruth Gray and Vergie Wells; and 8 brothers, Marvin Johnson, Cleal Johnson, Denham Johnson, Bob Johnson, Bernice Johnson, Walter Johnson, Lonnie Johnson and Milton Johnson. Maezell leaves to cherish her memory, her son, Matthew Lay and grandson Ian Christopher Lay; 4 sisters, Ezell Norman, Odell Murrell, Learlean Amis and Betty Walton; 3 brothers, Joe Louis Johnson, John Johnson and Samuel Johnson; and a host of nephews, nieces, and other relatives. Services were held on April 22, 2011 at First Missionary Baptist Church, with burial at San Gorgonio Memorial Park, Banning. Arrangements entrusted to Wiefels & Son Mortuary, Banning.