Nelson Ransome Lay Jr. of Sutton died peacefully on Sunday, February 6, 2011, at the age of 85 in St. Johnsbury. He was born on September 14, 1925, in Ft. Covington, New York, one of three children born to Nelson and Isabelle (Mayberry) Lay. The family relocated to Island Pond where Mr. Lay's father was employed as an engineer for the Canadian National Railroad. The move to Island Pond introduced Mr. Lay to the joys of hunting and fishing, pastimes he enjoyed immensely for the entirety of his life, culminating in the bagging of a 13-point trophy buck at the tender age of 65. The buck garnered top prize for "most atypical rack" at the Vermont Sportsman Show and today hangs prominently in the family camp at Seymour Lake alongside another trophy buck and several antlers of other deer bagged by Mr. Lay over the many joyful seasons he spent hunting the woods of northern Vermont. Following the outbreak of World War II, Mr. Lay left high school and joined the Navy at age 17. He served in the Pacific theater as a radioman and gunner on a PBY Hedron Airframe. After the war ended, he returned to Vermont and finished his high school studies, graduating from St. Johnsbury Academy. He later attended the University of Vermont and received his associates degree from Champlain College. Mr. Lay became one of the earliest Vermont State Police troopers, beginning his career in Bradford in 1949. During the height of his active duty as a detective, he was recognized as the top homicide detective in Vermont. He was a top marksman with a pistol and competed in national competitions. Mr. Lay retired as a captain and troop commander of the St. Johnsbury barracks, Troop C, following more than 30 years of distinguished service. Perhaps the best legacy of his tenure with the State Police was his belief that people, especially youngsters, were deserving of a second chance and were better served by a well-timed "talking to" than a ticket or permanent arrest record. Mr. Lay married Shirley Carey in Montpelier on October 4, 1952, and together, they raised five children, living in multiple Vermont communities including Bradford, Rutland, Waterbury Center, and Sutton, moves necessitated by Mr. Lay's career in the State Police. After building their dream home in Sutton, Mr. Lay declined career moves that would necessitate relocation and on retirement from the State Police maintained his "gentleman's farm" there. In retirement, he served as a rural mail carrier, on the Sutton select board, and drove a school bus. He enjoyed many outdoor activities throughout his life, and with the help of good friends, built a summer camp for his family on Lake Seymour. He spent many hours listening to the Boston Red Sox on the radio, especially the games against the Yankees. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Shirley, of Sutton; five children: Douglas Lay and his wife, Kathy, of Newport Center, Maureen Russell Quechee, Theresa Lay-Sleeper and her husband, Ron, of Cabot, Daniel Lay and his wife, Staci, of Brunswick, Maine, and David Lay of Sutton; by eight grandchildren: Devin and Derick Lay, Morgan Russell, Ethan, Orion, and Theron Lay-Sleeper, and Declan and Hannah Lay; by his sister Sherwood Riddell and her husband, Doug, of Denver, Colorado; by sisters-in-law Margaret Larned of Florida and Betty Blouin of Montpelier; and by many nieces and nephews throughout the country. He was predeceased by his sister Norma Smith of Tacoma, Washington. Friends may honor Mr. Lay by calling on the family at the Guibord Funeral Home in Lyndonville on Monday, February 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. On Tuesday, February 22, at 11 a.m., a Mass will be celebrated at St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church in Lyndonville. Interment will be in the Sutton Village Cemetery on May 28 at 1 p.m. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church, 49 Winter Street, St. Johnsbury, Vermont 05819, or to St. Johnsbury Health and Rehab Center (marked for the Employee Activity Fund), 1248 Hospital Drive, St. Johnsbury, Vermont 05819.