Obituary of George L Gay

George L. Gay, 91 lifelong resident of Iowa City and longtime businessman died Sunday, December 27, 2015, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Funeral services will be held at 11 am Thursday, December 31, 2015, at the First Christian Church in Coralville, with graveside services at the Oakland Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 pm Wednesday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service where a Masonic Memorial Service will be held at 7pm. Memorial donations can be made in George's memory to the First Christian Church. Online condolences may be sent for George's family through the funeral home website @ www.gayandciha.com. George Lake Gay was born August 24, 1924, in Iowa City the son of George Robert and Helen (Lake) Gay. He attended Iowa City Schools, graduating from City High School with the class of 1942. Then attended the University of Iowa. During WWII George served in the United States Navy. George was united in marriage to Kathrynn Ann (Katie) Murphy on September 1, 1946. Returning to Iowa City he joined the family business, the Gay Locker Company, where he worked until enrolling at the Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago, at the age of 40. Graduating from here as Class Salutatorian, he and his wife, Katie purchased the former Oathout Funeral Home in Iowa City. This began his career as a funeral director and owner of the George L. Gay Funeral Home, a career that spanned many years in the Iowa City area, caring for thousands of families. George believed in giving back to his community, church and profession. This was obvious in all the various groups, organizations, community functions, that he was involved with throughout his lifetime. These include, his church, First Christian Church; his profession, Iowa Funeral Directors Association (Past President) and the National Funeral Directors Association; former member of the Iowa City School Board, Iowa City Chamber of Commerce, Ecumenical Towers Organization, University of Iowa School of Religion, and DeMolay; active member of the Noon Rotary Club, Johnson County I-Club, New Horizons Senior Band, Rio-Grande Valley Concert Band (Mission, TX) Men-of Achord (Mission, TX), IOOF, Rebekah Lodge, O.E.S., White Shrine, Knight of Pythias, Eagles Lodge, Moose Lodge, Elks Lodge, the William Reynolds Lodge #667 of the Masonic Order and KAABA Shrine. His family includes his children, Anita Gay Hartwig (Kevin Hartwig) of Iowa City; George Edward "Ted" Gay (Patti) of North Richland Hills, TX; grandchildren, Kory Hartwig, Kerri Hartwig, Victoria Gay, Diana Kirkwood (Matt), and William Gay; two great-grandsons, Jaiden Feedee and Casen Kirkwood; brothers, Charles Gay of Iowa City and Robert Gay (Jeannine) of Philoimath, OR; sister-in-law, Marilou Gay of Iowa City; and fiancé, Suzie Oliver of Iowa City. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Katie; sister, Dorothy Adamson; brother, Richard Gay; sister, Anna Gay; and sister-in-law, Dorothy Gay.