Gay West Gilkerson

Gailya (Gay) Elaine West was born on August 26, 1929 in Warsaw, North Carolina. She was the daughter of Bernice and Estelle West. Gay grew up in Thomasville, North Carolina and graduated from Thomasville High School in 1947 and from Catawba College in 1951.

On August 11, 1950, Gay married her husband of 61 years, Cecil F. Gilkerson, who survives. Gay is also survived by four loving daughters and their families: Pamela Cecile Gilkerson Setzer and husband Bob of Salisbury, North Carolina, Lynn West Gilkerson Turner and Tom Hoy of Harrisonburg, Julie Gay Gilkerson King and husband Joe of Waynesboro and Sharon Elaine Gilkerson Johnson and husband Shawn of Winchester, Massachusetts. She is survived by eight grandchildren: Katie Setzer Lipscomb and husband Erik, Addie Laurie Setzer Reamer and husband Richard, Scott Turner, Kelsey King, Stuart King, Natalie Johnson, Quinn Johnson and Hope Johnson. Gay leaves three great grandchildren: Eleanor and Mary Chapman Reamer and Eliza Lipscomb. Gay will also be sadly missed by close friend Carolyn Whetzel.

Gay taught Home Economics at Boydon High School in Salisbury, North Carolina. After moving to Harrisonburg from Wilson, North Carolina in 1954, Gay helped her husband in the early days of the Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation Department. She started the Tiny Tots preschool program and she helped to start the Senior Citizens Club. After her daughters were in school, she pursued graduate work at Madison College. She taught at John Wayland Middle School, was a real estate agent, and was a Child-find Specialist for Harrisonburg City Schools, where she retired in 1992. Gay enjoyed playing tennis and watching her daughters play. She also enjoyed playing bridge, belonging to several bridge clubs. Gay particularly enjoyed traveling with her friends and family. She and her husband participated in the Elderhostel Program and traveled all over the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska. Gay also traveled a number of times to Europe and the Far East. She was an avid reader and enjoyed going to Barnes & Noble daily for her iced mocha and reading.

She was a volunteer at the Quilt Museum, a member of the Quota Club, the Spotswood Country Club and a member of the Harrisonburg Baptist Church. Gay was a devoted wife to her husband and had so much love for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The funeral service will be held 1:00 PM, at Harrisonburg Baptist Church on Thursday, November 17, with Dr. Jack Mercer officiating. Burial will follow at Woodbine Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at Lindsey Funeral Home on Wednesday, from 6-8:00 p.m. or friends may call at the Gilkerson home at 507 Paul Street.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Massanutten Regional Library or the Harrisonburg Baptist Church in her memory.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.lindseyharrisonburg.com.