ROBERT E GAY

Robert Ellsworth Gay, devoted husband of the late Hazel (Doane) Gay, died October 29, 2013 in Chester. He was born on January 14, 1919 in Middletown, CT to the late Ellsworth Alger Gay and Augusta (LaPlace) Gay.
Bob spent his early years living in Essex and Hadlyme where the Connecticut River was his playground. He had a love for the river and the Steam Ship Hartford all of his life and was a member of the Connecticut River Museum. He attended two one-room school houses in Hadlyme, the North School and the South School and was a 1937 graduate of the Nathan Hale School. Bob proudly served as a US Sailor in WWll. Bob and Hazel spent their seventy-four years of marriage living in Westbrook and Clinton where they were members of the Elk's Club and the Grange. After Bob's retirement from UARCO, Inc., he and Hazel enjoyed spending winters in Florida and traveling in their RV throughout the United States with the Good Sam Club.
Family history was a passion for Bob and he was a member of the Old Saybrook Historical Society. He spent many of his retirement years researching his family roots, first by car then when he was eighty years old he got his first computer and used it to complete documenting his family tree. He loved talking about family and the history of Essex and Hadlyme. In his free time he also enjoyed painting, and music.
Bob is survived by his daughters, Bonnie Mosher of Clinton, Janet Clark and her husband John of Coral Springs, Florida, Linda Maynard and her husband Joel of Westbrook and Pamela Anderson and her husband Harry of Killingworth as well as ten grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren.
The Swan Funeral Home is in charge of private funeral arrangements. For online tributes and condolences, please visit www.swanfh.com.