Chay, Nicholas William 'Nick'

Nicholas William Chay “Nick”, 18, our loving son and brother, chose to be with his heavenly Father on Friday, August 14th.

The family will greet friends at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Newman Center in Iowa City. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorials be directed to Moccasin Lake Nature Park in Clearwater, Fla., or to the (Iowa) Miracle Burn Camp at YMCA Camp Foster, in honor of a friend.

Nick was born August 17, 1990 in Tampa, Fla., the son of Rob and Mary (O'Malley) Chay. Since the age of 12, Nick attended Moccasin Lake Nature Park summer camp in Clearwater, Florida where he later became a camp counselor. He graduated from Iowa City High School in 2008 and attended Kirkwood Community College. Nick worked in the kitchen at the North Dodge Street Hy-Vee Food Store. Nick was a member of the chess club and especially enjoyed high school chemistry. He was active in Tae Kwon Do, Frisbee golf and scuba diving. Nick will be remembered for his quick wit, sense of adventure, loving deeply and the ability to charm with his smile. His family and camaraderie of friends were a blessing in his life.

Nick is survived by his parents, Rob Chay (Cathy) of Branford, Fla, Mary Chay (fiancé Rob Miecznikowski) of Iowa City; brother Eric Chay and sister Angela Chay, both of Iowa City; grandparents, Bob & Dorothy Chay of Sun City, Fla. and William O'Malley of Iowa City; stepbrothers, Jason Broker (Tiff) of Greenville, S.C. and Josh Broker of Clearwater, Fla., Grey, Gabe and Noah Miecznikowski of Iowa City; aunts and uncles, Karen Felish (Rick) of Lake Havasu, Ariz. and Janice Bernaky of Downers Grove, Ill, Cathy Lynch (Pat) of Encampment, Wyo, Mike O'Malley of Des Moines, and Pat O'Malley (Yunxia) of Iowa City as well as numerous cousins.

He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Virginia (Ginny) O'Malley, and his cousin, Brandon Bernaky.

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