ARVIN BALDWIN CLAY,

90, of Sherwood, Ark., passed away Wednesday, December 2, 2020. He was born September 24, 1930, in Roland, Ark., to the late Sadie Bivins Clay and Arthur Clay.

Arvin joined the U.S. Army as a mechanic when he was only 17 and received his GED from Tokyo University in Tokyo, Japan. After his time in the Army, Arvin joined the U.S. Air Force and was trained as an Air Traffic Controller. In 1952, Arvin began his career with the Federal Aviation Administration receiving his Air Traffic Controller Specialist Certification from the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, Okla. Arvin manned control towers in Tyler, Texas, Hot Springs, Fort Smith, Little Rock, and Pine Bluff. Late in his career he transferred to Flight Service where he gave pilot weather briefings. Arvin spent 33 years and 6 months with the FAA retiring in April of 1986. During “retirement” Arvin contracted with the FAA to man and report aviation weather obviation’s for air traffic in Hot Springs many years. Always on the go, in 1994 he began volunteering at the KOA as camp host.

Arvin is proceeded in death by his wife of 47 years, Caroline Rose Rinke Clay, two sisters and two brothers.

Survivors include his children, Beth (Randy) Allison and Larry (Crystal) Clay; sister, Sue Fendley; grandchildren, Phillip Sullivan, Nathan (Lacy) Sullivan, Brittaney Clay, Jessica (Calvin) Clay Ruppert, Bradley (Megan) Clay, Justin Clay, Sophie Pearson; and six great-grandchildren, Jake, Emily, Cooper, Reese, Hudson, Meadow.

Visitation will be Thursday, December 10, from 6-8 p.m., at Rest Hills Funeral Home and service Friday, December 11, at First Baptist Little Rock at 10 a.m., with burial to follow at Kennerly Cemetery.