CLINTON “BOUDY” McVAY
CLINTON “BOUDY” McVAY
Clinton “Boudy” Meryl McVay, 71, died at his home in Watervliet, on Friday, May 14, 2021.
Boudy was born on December 20, 1949, in Watervliet, Michigan, to his parents, Dorothy and Woodrow McVay. He graduated from Watervliet High School in 1969.
He met his “Some Kind of Wonderful”, Deborah “Debi” (Jackson) from Coloma, in 1970 while on roller skates at the Crystal Palace in Coloma. They were married in 1971, sharing 50 years together.
Boudy worked hard and played even harder! He got his first job at the Watervliet Furniture Store and then Malleable for a short time. In 1974 he went to the Watervliet Paper Mill and worked there until they closed the doors forever in 1994, finally retiring from JVIS Manufacturing in 2015.
Boudy had a knack and a love for baseball and softball; in fact, that is where he got his nickname, “Boudrow.” Though it has since been shortened to Boudy, it was his uncle, Lowell Barricklow, who started using this nickname after the famous baseball player, Lou Boudreau. His love of the game led him to both play and coach for many years with various teams in the area. Starting as a kid playing on the Reds in youth league, the Orioles during Babe Ruth and as a young man with M-140 Bar and Rose Die-Cast. He hit his career highs with Builder’s World then coaching the Park Street Pirates and Steel Methods, and many more.
Boudy earned State Championship titles as a player with the ESE softball team and later as a coach and mentor with the Garey Roofing team. Finally viewing the game from the stands, he watched his grandkids take the field.
Boudy was an avid bowler claiming one of the Wednesday Night Industrial League Championship titles at Wil-O-Paw Lanes as a member of the Leroy’s Body Shop team. He was also an outdoorsman as a hunter and fisherman and lover of nature and music.
Survivors include his wife, Deborah “Debi” (Jackson) McVay of Watervliet; his children and grandchildren, Angela (and the Late Richard) Widdis and daughter Isabel, of Baroda, and Jason (Brandy) McVay and son, Deklyn, of Coloma; his sister, Darlene (Nick) Barry of Florida, and brother, Arnaz McVay of Watervliet; many cousins, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and friends and neighbors, that was just like family as he was a fan of many and a foe too few.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his niece, Theresa Mace, and his son-in-law, Rick Widdis.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 20 at Hutchins Funeral Home in Watervliet followed by interment at North Shore Memory Gardens in Hagar Shores. The family would like to invite all to a Celebration of Life luncheon at the Coloma F.O.P immediately following the services. You are invited to leave messages of comfort for the McVay family at www.hutchinsfuneral.com.
Memorials may be sent to Hartford League of Miracles, at 234 South Pleasant Street, Watervliet, MI 49098, which is a local organization that helps children with special needs play sports like baseball, basketball, and bowling.