John L. Gay

The graveside funeral service of John L. Gay, 84, of Lee County, GA who died September 9, 2011 at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, TN will be conducted Tuesday at 3:00 PM at Oak Hill Cemetery in Quitman, GA. Rev. William E. Harris will officiate.

A native of Quitman, GA, Mr. Gay was a graduate of Quitman High School and attended Florida State University and Georgia Tech. He was the owner of Gay Plumbing and Heating Company and served on the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board Division of Master Plumbers and Journeyman Plumbers for many years. He was an avid outdoors-man and greatly enjoyed pheasant hunting in Nebraska and South Dakota. Mr. Gay was a member of Bronwood United Methodist Church.

Mr. Gay was preceded in death by his parents, John Lafayette Gay and Elizabeth Emerson Gay as well as his sister, Lillian Gay Boyd. Survivors include his wife, Patti Knight Gay of Lee County, GA, two daughters, Kathleen Thompson and her husband, Gary of Albany, GA and Virginia Gay of Naples, FL, a step-son, Charlie Knight and his wife, Liz of Albany, GA and a step-daughter, Kelly Mellen and her husband, Mickey of Marietta, GA, a sister, Louise Snow of Quitman, GA, four grandchildren, Stephanie Bennett and her husband, Ryan of Albany, GA, Macey Mellen, Mariana Mellen and Jackson Knight and a great-grandson, Thompson Bennett.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM Monday at Mathews Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made in Mr. Gay's memory to the Methodist Home for Children and Youth Americus Auxiliary, P.O Box 1967, Americus, GA 31709 or to the Gideons International, Albany Camp #1001, P.O. Box 1823, Albany, GA 31702.