Clayton “Clay” Vernon Hatley, Jr. left this earthly life for his eternal home in heaven on August 10, 2019, leaving behind so many grieving family and friends who wish they could have more time with him. He will be remembered for his integrity, character, dry wit, intelligence, and kind heart. Above all, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather who loved nothing more than spending time with his family, watching his children and grandchildren play sports, and cheering on the Wolfpack.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Phyllis Tucker Hatley; sons, Jody Christopher Hatley (Laurel) and Jeffrey Vincent Hatley (Karen); and grandchildren, Griffin Hatley, Tatum Hatley, Nolan Henry Hatley, Cole Morgan Hatley; and step-grandchildren, Jackson Ryan Thomas and Conner Matthew Thomas. He is also survived by sister-in-law, Gail Tucker Dawkins (Earl); nieces, Brooke Dawkins Hardiman (Brian) and Brittany Dawkins Vachon (Joey).

Clay was born on July 5, 1944 in Oakboro, NC to the late Gladys Marie Huneycutt and Clayton Vernon Hatley, Sr. He was also preceded in death by his brothers Max and Wayne. Clay was a high school basketball and baseball standout as well as an accomplished student. He earned his B.S. in Applied Mathematics from NC State University in 1966 and went on to earn two Master’s of Science degrees in Statistics and Operations Research from Florida Institute of Technology. He met the love of his life, Phyllis, when he was a senior in high school. They were married soon after he graduated from NC State and moved to Florida for an incredible opportunity to work for RCA. It was there that they started a family and raised their sons, Jody and Jeff. You would never know from his humble nature that he was involved in several projects of great historical importance throughout his career including the launching of the Apollo XI mission to the Moon, the development of the Arpanet which was the early precursor to the Internet, and meteorologic research at Cape Canaveral.

Despite his amazing accolades and accomplishments, he will be best remembered for his dedication to his children. With his great character and love for his family, he created a welcoming home environment where his sons and their friends would often gather. He was always present for his boys, coaching team sports (he even took up football when a coach was needed), playing ball, and later in life, hanging out and having a beer and a laugh. Later in life, he enjoyed spending his time reading, playing golf, watching sports, doing the daily crossword, and playing cards on the porch with Phyllis. Clay was a member of North Raleigh United Methodist Church and found great peace in the fellowship of that community.

The family would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to the staff at the Rex CICU who battled so determinedly for Clay and who provided such comfort to his family during his unexpected stay.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Duke Children’s Hospital, https://www.gifts.duke.edu/dch. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at the North Raleigh United Methodist Church at two o'clock in the afternoon on Thursday, August 15, 2019.