John Lindell Delay; 7/20/1918-1/12/2008
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John Lindell Delay; 7/20/1918-1/12/2008
Retired truck driver lived up to his word
John Delay, 89 FLINT TOWNSHIP THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION Thursday, January 17, 2008 By Kristyn Peterson kpeterson@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6315
FLINT TWP - John Delay believed that a man's word is his honor.
The oldest of 14 children, Delay was a proud man, said his son, Robert Delay, 61, of Swartz Creek.
He was proud of his military service in World War II, and he was proud of being a third-degree Mason. He was especially proud of his family, said his son, Mark Delay, 58, of FLINT.
"He loved his family dearly," Mark Delay said. "He would drop whatever he was doing because he loved his full family so much."
His dad also was always ready to help anyone, said another son, John Delay, 63, of Port Huron.
The elder Delay, 89, died Jan. 12 at Genesys Hospice Care Center.
The younger John Delay said he remembers being on a boat with his father, uncle and cousin as a boy. His cousin decided he was going to swim to shore but, within a few strokes, began to drown. His father and uncle both jumped off the boat to save his cousin, the younger John Delay said.
In the process, though, the two knocked him out of the boat and into water about eight feet deep, he said.
"I couldn't swim, either, and they didn't notice I was gone," the younger John Delay said. "Somehow, I had the peace of mind to sink to the bottom, walk a few steps, kick up and take a breath. ... I made it all the way back to shore that way.
"That's the kind of guy he was, though. He was always there to help someone. He wanted to help my cousin and, in the process, knocked me out of the boat."
Son Chris Delay, 45, of Ovid called his father a warrior.
"He was straight-forward," Chris Delay said. "He would tell you the truth even if you didn't want to hear it."
When his sons were younger, Delay liked to take them on road trips, Mark Delay said. Because his father was a truck driver, the family often made it to their destination quickly.
"He drove nonstop," Mark Delay said. "I remember, on a trip out West, we made it from FLINT to San Francisco in less than three days."
Delay was a member of Teamsters Local 332 and an Elf Khurafeh Shriner. He worked as an electrician and a mechanic in the construction industry. He was working for Garrison's Hardware when he retired.
In addition to his sons, Delay leaves his wife, Betty; 10 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
John Delay, 89 FLINT TOWNSHIP THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION Thursday, January 17, 2008 By Kristyn Peterson kpeterson@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6315
FLINT TWP - John Delay believed that a man's word is his honor.
The oldest of 14 children, Delay was a proud man, said his son, Robert Delay, 61, of Swartz Creek.
He was proud of his military service in World War II, and he was proud of being a third-degree Mason. He was especially proud of his family, said his son, Mark Delay, 58, of FLINT.
"He loved his family dearly," Mark Delay said. "He would drop whatever he was doing because he loved his full family so much."
His dad also was always ready to help anyone, said another son, John Delay, 63, of Port Huron.
The elder Delay, 89, died Jan. 12 at Genesys Hospice Care Center.
The younger John Delay said he remembers being on a boat with his father, uncle and cousin as a boy. His cousin decided he was going to swim to shore but, within a few strokes, began to drown. His father and uncle both jumped off the boat to save his cousin, the younger John Delay said.
In the process, though, the two knocked him out of the boat and into water about eight feet deep, he said.
"I couldn't swim, either, and they didn't notice I was gone," the younger John Delay said. "Somehow, I had the peace of mind to sink to the bottom, walk a few steps, kick up and take a breath. ... I made it all the way back to shore that way.
"That's the kind of guy he was, though. He was always there to help someone. He wanted to help my cousin and, in the process, knocked me out of the boat."
Son Chris Delay, 45, of Ovid called his father a warrior.
"He was straight-forward," Chris Delay said. "He would tell you the truth even if you didn't want to hear it."
When his sons were younger, Delay liked to take them on road trips, Mark Delay said. Because his father was a truck driver, the family often made it to their destination quickly.
"He drove nonstop," Mark Delay said. "I remember, on a trip out West, we made it from FLINT to San Francisco in less than three days."
Delay was a member of Teamsters Local 332 and an Elf Khurafeh Shriner. He worked as an electrician and a mechanic in the construction industry. He was working for Garrison's Hardware when he retired.
In addition to his sons, Delay leaves his wife, Betty; 10 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.