Jay Delano is a St James resident, and a third generation business owner. In the short period of time we spent together, I interpreted him as somewhat of a sad man, but not necessarily an unhappy man. Jay appears as someone who has only smelled life, but never actually tasted it. A bird that never flew. Jay confirmed my interpretation.
Jay was born in St James, Missouri, where he’s lived for most of his life, with the exception of the time he spent at The Principia College, and a few years in Boston, Massachusetts, where he worked for The Christian Science Monitor.
Jay’s grandfather founded a family business in 1928, which his father developed into the largest in St James.
“This business is my father’s baby,” Jay repeated more than once.
Jay didn’t see himself as an oilman. He wanted more out of his life, but his father’s wishes were enough of a responsibility for Jay to take over and continue the family tradition. Taking care of his father’s “baby” is not something he plans for his son Jonathan.
“Jonathan can continue running this business, if he wishes to do so, but that is not something I will encourage him to do,” Jay said. “He can find something else that interests him more.”
As the business continues to fall into decay, the thought of just selling everything and leaving the town often becomes a source of conversation for Jay and his wife Marsha.
“We’ve looked at some condos in St Louis,” Marsha said. “Besides my sister and my horse, there is nothing else that keeps us here. If the business goes down we’ll pack our bags and leave.”
“We might just sell it and leave,” Jay added. “If someone walked in with the bag of money and offered to buy it, I wouldn’t think twice.”
PHOTO BY DJORDJE ZLATANOVIC / MPW.60