Jean C. Blay

Jean Crompton Blay, 83, of Ashaway RI, died on July 23, 2022 at The Westerly Hospital surrounded by her loving family after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.
She was born in Westerly, RI on July 30, 1938 to Harry and Edith (Currie) Crompton. She was raised in Bradford, RI amongst a large and extended group of the Currie family. She graduated from Westerly High School in 1956 and soon after went to work at the Bradford Dying Association.
Jean met her husband, Stephen A. Blay Jr. at the roller-skating rink in Groton when she literally helped pick him up off the floor of the rink. They were married on July 1, 1961, eventually settling in their current home in Ashaway, RI where Jean worked as a homemaker raising her 2 children. She returned to the work force in 1973 in the Rhode Island school lunch program at the Ashaway Elementary school. She worked for 26 years at various schools in the Westerly and Chariho area and then at the University of Rhode Island, until her retirement.
Jean was always full of energy and ideas, putting her heart and soul into a wide variety of hobbies and activities including floral arranging, gardening, cake decorating and being the best Grammy to her grandchildren, with whom she loved to spend time. An accomplished, self-taught carpenter, Jean also enjoyed helping to design and build several additions and remodeling efforts for their home.
Jean and Steve shared a love of travel and toured a large part of the country while taking 2 cross country camping trips with their children and Jean’s mother. They also took multiple cruises to various Caribbean islands, Alaska and Hawaii. Their love of camping continued long into retirement with numerous trips to the mid-West, Florida, the gulf coast and a much-loved annual trip to Bourne Scenic Park in Cape Cod with their children, grandchildren and other numerous extended family members.
In addition to her husband Stephen, Jean is survived by her son Alan Blay and his wife Mimi of Hope Valley, RI and her daughter Donna Vanhorn and her husband Stephen of Sterling, CT, her grandchildren, Amanda VanHorn of Sterling, CT, Emily Blay of New York, NY and Jennifer Blay of Hope Valley, RI and step grandson Stephen VanHorn Jr. of Johnston, RI and his wife Cali and 4 great-grandchildren, Noah, Paige, Hazel and Shiloh. She was predeceased by her parents and her sister, Bernice Kugler.
Services for Jean will be held at the Buckler-Johnston Funeral Home on Main Street in Westerly. At 10:00 AM on Friday 7/29/22. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Association 225 N. Michigan Ave., FL17, Chicago, IL 60601. The family also wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to the staff at the Carriage House at the Elms for their outstanding care during her long battle with Alzheimer’s and to the staff of the Westerly Hospital for their support throughout the hospice process.
For online condolences, please visit www.buckler-johnston.com