Gay (Manly) Balch, 93, of Abilene passed away on Thursday, September 20, 2018. Funeral services will be held at 2pm on Monday, September 24, 2018 in the Elliott-Hamil Chapel of Faith, located at 5701 Hwy 277 South, with burial following in Round Mound Cemetery. The family will receive friends for a visitation from 4 to 6pm on Sunday evening at the funeral home.
Gay was born on September 26, 1925 to Charles and Myrtle Manly. She was raised on the family farm in Jones and Shakelford counties. She attended school at Willow Creek Elementary, which was a 2 room school. She later graduated from Abilene Christian Academy and attended Draughn’s Business School. After the war, she worked for Mead’s Bakery. Jean Balch, the man who would later become her husband, also worked at the bakery. Gay worked for many years and retired from the Abilene public library. She was an active member of Elmdale Baptist Church and volunteered with Abilene Baptist Social Ministries. She and her husband were also very involved in the Commemorative Air Force, which was formerly known as the Confederate Air force.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.
Survivors include son, Donald Balch and wife Martha; 3 daughters, Candis Dye and husband Douglas, Marty Lannon and husband Patrick, and Charlotte Mims and husband Mike; 8 grandchildren; and 9 great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Dallas ALS Association of Texas 5830 Granite Pkwy. #100-320 Plano, TX 75024
