Eldona Laverne (Murphey) Gay

Eldona Laverne Murphey Gay, longtime resident of the Anderson Store Community near Oakland and one of Fayette County’s oldest citizens died peacefully in the comfort of her home on Friday morning, October 11, 2013. She was 103 years of age and died following a brief illness.

Services of Remembrance for Mrs. Gay were conducted at 1 P.M. Monday, October 14th at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland with her son-in-law, Bro. William Reeves officiating. He was assisted by Bro. Burke Howcroft of the Lambert Community Church. Interment followed in the Oakland Town Cemetery. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes & Cremation Center — West Chapel at Oakland.

A native of Fayette County, Mrs. Gay was born May 29, 1910. She was preceded in death by her parents, Wylie X. Murphey and Gladys Cole Murphey, early residents of the Oakland area. She was a 1928 Graduate of Fayette County High School in Somerville and was married for over 60 years to George Tate Gay, a retired employee of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, who died in 1992.

Mrs. Gay loved life dearly and lived it fully, embracing each new day for the opportunities it presented and the blessings it held; in so doing, she blessed those around her, her many friends and her church and community and most especially, her family. She will be remembered as an avid reader and a devoted Christian who served as a Sunday School Class and Ladies’ Bible Study teacher at her residence and also a Bible teacher for Child Evangelism Fellowship meetings.

She was a faithful member of the Lambert Community Church for many years and her interests included flower gardening, canning, crocheting and tatting. She remained mentally alert until her death and had a lifelong love for all types of games that included dominoes, badmitton and jacks. She was a ray of sunshine to all she met and knew and her life was truly a testament to the adage “it is better to give than receive”.

Mrs. Gay is survived by three daughters, Violet Gay Doyle (Ernest) of Millington, Grace Gay Reeves (William) of the Anderson Store Community, Linda Gay Belcher (Charlie) of Alamo, TX; her brother, Virgil Murphey (Betty) of Somerville; nine grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren and eleven great-great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her sister, Inez Alexander and two brothers, Cole S. Murphey and Elmo Murphey.

Those honored to serve as casketbearers were Chip Reeves, Joey Reeves, Robbie Foy, David Miller, Lance Silvis, Jesse Silvis and Dustin Greer.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Lambert Community Church, c/o Burke Howcroft, 445 Old Solomon Mill Road, Somerville, TN 38068.