William Thomas Gay

GAY, William Thomas, age 91 years, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on January 12, 2022. He was the son of the late Charles D. Gay and Mary Tom Knott of Portsmouth, Virginia. He was preceded in death by his son, John Bradley Gay. He is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Peggy Ann Harris Gay; children, Jeffrey D. Gay of Roswell, Georgia and Stephen W. Gay and his wife, Suzanne, of Oak Hill, Virginia; granddaughters, Logan N. Gay of Nashville, Tennessee and Caroline W. Gay of Oak Hill, Virginia; a brother-in-law, Dwight L. Harris of West Palm Beach, Florida. His family and friends described him as an upbeat and positive personality. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

He graduated from Virginia Tech in 1952 and was an avid fan of all their sports teams. He served two years of active duty as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army and six years on active reserve from 1954 to 1960. He retired in 1993 after 39 years with Texaco, Inc. and received numerous awards for merit. He enjoyed playing tennis, bridge and traveling. He was a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Salisbury Presbyterian Church and the Salisbury Country Club.

The family would like to thank Spring Arbor Assisted Living in Midlothian, Virginia and Our Lady of Hope in Richmond, Virginia, for their kindness and compassion.

A graveside service will be held on Thursday, January 20, at Olive Branch Cemetery in Portsmouth, Virginia at 1 p.m. under the direction of Snellings Funeral Home. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.snellingsfuneralhome.com.