BRUNSWICK — Richard A. Lay, 80, died Feb. 12 at Mid Coast Hospital.

He was born in Long Beach, Calif., on Sept. 21, 1931,  the son of Hiram and Ruth Gray Lay.

Lay graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, Calif., in 1949 and later entered the U.S. Air Force at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. He served in Guam and was honorably discharged in 1955.

On July 19, 1958, he married Arline Pennell.

After serving in the military, Lay went to Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla., and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in meteorology. For three years he worked as a meteorologist in Long Beach, Calif., and then was transferred to San Fransisco International Airport, serving as a marine meteorologist from 1967 to 1986. It was during this period that he was head meteorologist for the 1984 Olympic Games. From 1986 to 1992, Lay was the lead forecaster for marine meteorology in Hawaii, where he accurately predicted the path of Hurricane Iniki, which struck the island of Kauai. He proudly received a meteorology award for this from NOAA. In 1993 he retired to Brunswick.

He was a member of the AMA, Navy League, vice president of NARFE, Coyote Point Yacht Club in San Mateo, Calif., Waiki Yacht Club in Honolulu, Hawaii, 1992 Kenwood Cup World Championship Committee and U.S.S Maine Submarine Commission. He was also a member of the Congregational Church of San Mateo, Calif.

Lay is survived by his wife of 54 years, Arline; two sons, Dwight Fairbanks Lay of Long Beach, Calif., and James Lay; daughter, Eve Hladky and her husband, Timothy, of Brunswick; sister-in-law, Nancy Pennell of Brunswick; and nephew, Samuel Pennell of Brunswick.

A memorial service was held Feb. 23 at First Parish Church in Brunswick with Rev. Geoff Parker officiating.

Donations in Lay’s memory may be made to ABYC Junior Fund, Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, 7201 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90803.

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