Alice (Musser) Bay

Ancestors

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Biography

Maude Alice (Musser) Bay was born Sept 12, 1923 in Houserville PA, the youngest child of William Earl Musser (1888-1939) and Margaret May (Harry) Musser (1886-1974). Her sisters were Katherine “Kitty” Louise Musser (1918-1946) and twins Irene (Musser) Frye (1914-1972) and Arlene (Musser) Wetzel (1914-1970). She also had a half-brother, Charles Irvin Harry (1905-1925), who died on her 2nd birthday. She went by “Maudie” through her childhood, but after hearing a neighbor cursing at a mule named Maude she was inspired to switch to her middle name and thereafter went by “Alice.” She grew up in State College PA and graduated from State College High School. Her father died when she was 15, during the depression, and the family struggled after that. Her mother and sisters went to work and Alice was left to handle the housework on her own. After high school she attended some classes at Penn State and worked for at least two years as an accountant.

Alice met Roy Bay during his time as a student at Penn State (1937-42). They went on a double date and she assumed that he was interested in her friend. She was pleasantly surprised to learn that he was more interested in her. They found they had much in common – they had grown up 30 miles from each other in Pennsylvania Dutch families; they were each the youngest child in their families; and they had both lost a parent during their teens. They continued to date until he graduated, enlisted in the Army Air Force and was shipped overseas. He returned to the States in October 1944 and they announced their engagement the following month in the Harrisburg Telegraph. They married in a civil ceremony at the Army Air Force Base in Champaign IL on January 14, 1945 and they celebrated their wedding anniversary on that date. But they apparently had a second ceremony on May 26 of the same year at Grace Lutheran Church in Champaign, as evidenced by four different marriage certificates. Roy's sister Evelyn attempted to attend the first ceremony but arrived too late. Alice’s sister Kitty was a witness at the second ceremony.

After leaving the Army, Roy accepted employment as a production engineer with General Electric. He and Alice moved to Schenectady NY for his first assignment, then to Erie PA, where their only child, Richard, was born. They spent two years in Clark’s Summit PA, near Scranton, then in October 1952, after GE opened their Appliance Park factory, they moved to Louisville KY, where they would remain for the rest of their lives.

Alice was active in St. John’s Lutheran Church and Resurrection Lutheran Church, teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. She was the den mother for her son’s Cub Scout den. She played bridge and did various forms of hand-crafting. She loved square dancing and taught it for her son’s 6th grade class. She enjoyed cooking and baking, especially Pennsylvania Dutch recipes that she had learned from her mother.

Alice developed multiple health problems in 1987 and was in and out of the hospital for much of the year. She passed away on March 22, 1988 and was buried in Resthaven Memorial Park.

NAME: Was called "Maudie" in childhood; by 1936 was "Alice" or "Al".

MARRIAGE: Apparently married originally in a civil ceremony at the Army Air Force Base in Chamapign IL on January 14, 1945. They listed their wedding date as January 14, 1945 and celebrated their anniversary on that date. Roy's sister Evelyn attempted to attend this cermemony but arrived too late. Four different Marriage Certificates, however, show May 26, 1945, Grace Lutheran Church, 201 West Springfield Ave., Champaign IL, Pastor Askel C. Larsen presiding, witnessed by Kathryn L. Musser and John H. Snider. Apparently this was a second ceremony.

From Harrisburg Telegraph Fri Nov 17, 1944: Announcement has been made by Mrs. Margaret Musser, of State College, of the engagement of her daughter, Maude Alice, to Lt. Roy A. Bay, son of John Bay, of Burnham. Miss Musser is a graduate of the State College High School, attended Penn State College, and for the past two years has been employed as an accountant. Lieutenant Bay is a graduate of the Burmhan High School and Penn State. He is a pilot in the Army Air Forces and recently returned to the United States from overseas'. He is now at his new assignment at Chanute Field, 111.

EDUCATION: Graduated from State College High School. Took some business courses at Pennsylvania State University

OCCUPATION: Worked as Junior Accountant circa 1943 (source: War Ration Book).

INTERESTS: Cooking/baking (particularly Pennsylvania Dutch recipes), bridge, square dancing, hand-crafts, was Cub Scout den mother & Sunday School teacher.

RELIGION: 1952-197?: St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Louisville, KY, Pastor Sam Diehl 197?-1991: Resurrection Lutheran Church, Pastor Richard Vantrease

RESIDENCE: ?-?: Houserville, PA ?-?: Lemont, PA period including 1936: 522 E. College Ave, State College, PA ?-1946?: 109 South Frazier Street, State College, PA 1946: Dayton, OH 1948-March 1950: Erie, PA 1950: On Roy Bay's Application for WWII Compensation dated 1/21/50 he lists his address as his father's in Burnham PA and Alice & Richard's address as her mother's in State College PA. In the 1950 Census the family is listed in Roy's father's household in Burnham. This was apparently during the family's transition between Erie and Clark's Summit. May-1950-October 1952: 525 Winola Rd., Clark's Summit, PA October 1952-1974: 116 MacArthur Drive, Lousiville, KY 40207 1974-1988: 10717 Sunderland Place, Middletown, KY 40243

1930 Census: W. E. Musser, residing in State College / Centre County PA, age 42, occupation: salesman / Chevrolet, WWI veteran; Mrs. Margaret Musser, wife, age 43; Arlene, age 15; Irene, age 15; Catherine, age 13; Maude Musser, age 6; Mrs. Hanna Harry, mother-in-law, age 77. All family members and parents born in PA.

1940 Census: Margaret Musser, residing in State College / Centre County PA, age 54, occupation: housework / private home; Hannah Harry, mother, age 87; Irene, age 25; Kathryn, age 22; Alice, age 16. All family members born in PA.

1950 CENSUS (April 1950): 212 4th Ave, Burnham, Mifflin Cnty PA; John J. Bay, 71, pattern-maker at steel mfg. plant working 40 hr/wk; Alice M. Bay, 26, daughter-in-law; Richard A. Bay, 1, grandson; Mary E. Frey, 61, housekeeper working 50 hr/wk; Roy A. Bay, 31, Quality Control Engineer at Refrigerator Factory working 40 hr/wk (Note: Roy was listed on separate page with note "S-12/L-10," apparently indicating he belonged with Sheet 12 / Line 10, which was John J. Bay's entry). All household members b. in PA.

OBITUARY from The Courier-Journal, Louisville KY, 3/23/1988: Alice M. Bay, 64, died Tuesday at Baptist Hospital East. She was the former Alice Musser, a native of State College, Pa., and a member of Resurrection Lutheran Church. Survivors: her husband, Roy A. Bay, and a son, Richard A. Bay. Funeral: 11 a.m. Friday, Arch L. Heady Hikes Point Funeral Home, 4109 Taylorsville Road, with burial in Resthaven Memorial Park. Visitation from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday. Expressions of sympathy: American Heart Association or the church memorial fund.

Sources

• Birth & Death Certificates

Family records. 1950 Census Roy Bay's Application for WWII Compensation dated 1/21/50