Dr. William (Bill) Joseph De Lay, 84, passed away July 30, 2015, surrounded by his loving family at his home in Blue Ridge, Ga.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 8, 2015 at First Baptist Church, Peachtree City, Ga. Family visitation will be from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. The service will be at 11 a.m.
Bill was born February 1, 1931, in Decatur, Ga. to Bill and Carrie Jo De Lay.
He graduated from Decatur Boys High in 1949 and from Baylor University in 1954. He attended Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Ky. from 1954-56, then transferred to Columbia Presbyterian Seminary in Atlanta, where he received a Master’s of Divinity Degree in 1960. He earned his Doctorate of Ministry Degree from Columbia Theological Seminary in 1979.
Bill married Catherine Crook of Atlanta, Ga., in December 1956. They were blessed with three daughters.
Between the years of 1956 and 1985, Bill pastored three churches: Annie Mary Baptist Church (1956-1957); Gresham Park Baptist Church, Atlanta (1957-1970); and First Baptist Church of Peachtree City Ga. (1970-1985).
In 1985, Bill and Catherine planted and pastored the International Baptist Church of Düsseldorf, Germany while serving as missionaries with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board until their return state side in 1995. For the following seven years, he and Catherine served as the Missionaries-in-Residence with the Georgia Baptist Convention. In January of 2002, Bill returned to the First Baptist Church of Peachtree City to serve as the Pastor of Senior Adults. He filled this position until his health no longer permitted.
Bill’s first love was His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ whom he served whole-heartedly. He also dearly loved his family and friends, and enjoyed traveling, painting, reading and history.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Catherine, three daughters Lisa (Ron) Britzius, Marianna (Jim) Anderson, Yevette (Mike) Scearce, brother, Edwin De Lay (Mary Anne Sheffield), and seven grandchildren: Stephanie Scearce, John Anderson, Ronald (Chelsea) Britzius, Ian Anderson, Matthew Britzius, Summerlin Anderson and David Britzius.
In lieu of flowers please send donations payable to Frist Baptist Church, Peachtree City, designated to the Bill De Lay Memorial Mission Fund (208 Willowbend Rd., Peachtree City, Ga. 30269).
