Warren Thomas Lay
Warren Thomas Lay, 91, of Auburn, WA – Warren “Fearless Leader” Lay, son of the late Anna and John Lay, loving husband to the late Eleanor Lay, and brother to Dawn Pratt and the late Mary Spanier, passed away on November 9, 2015 in Lacey, WA.
Warren was born December 4, 1923 in Seattle, WA and lived his life in his beloved Pacific Northwest. He graduated from the University of Washington and surveyed the Alaskan wilderness with his father for the construction of the Alaskan Highway.
He also served in WWII, flying as a navigator on a B-17 in the Pacific, where he found his love for flying. He settled in Auburn, WA, and taught math at Auburn Junior High School and land surveying at Green River Community College.
As a local business owner, he operated his office of Warren T. Lay, Surveyor, out of his home on Cedar Drive for many years, and performed numerous surveys of properties throughout King and Pierce counties. Warren was an avid, lifelong outdoorsman and hiked throughout the Pacific Northwest.
He devoted his life to the Boy Scouts of America, and was awarded the Silver Beaver for distinguished service to the scouts, having made an impact on the lives of scouts in the Auburn community for many years. He was a troop leader and trainer for Boy Scout Troop 419 and Explorer Scout Troop 404. He also taught at the leadership level for the Scoutmasters Leaders Training and Scoutmasters Camping Skills Training events. His generosity and dedication to the scouts benefited the lives of generations of young men in the Green River Valley.
Warren is survived by his sister, Dawn, and her children Jennifer Walters, Dan Pratt, and Alice Pratt-Frascone, and their families. He is also survived by the children of his late sister Mary, Anne Peck, John Spanier, and Sharen Spanier, and their families. He will be missed.
Memorial service to be held January 23, 2016 in Auburn, WA, in the cafeteria at Olympic Middle School, 1825 K St SE, from 12:30 pm to 2:30pm. Donations to the Boy Scouts of America can be made in lieu of flowers.
