Gay Gipson Middleton

Gay Gipson Middleton died peacefully at her home in Baton Rouge in the early hours of Saturday, October 18, 2014. She was born in Ferriday, La, on March 30, 1945, and raised in St. Joseph, LA, where she attended Joseph M. Davidson School. She is survived by her husband of 45 years, Frank Walters Middleton III, son Frank Walters Middleton IV and his partner Charles Franklin Scherer of Tallahassee, FL, son Blake Weldon Middleton of Baton Rouge, and daughter Tate Hodges Middleton of Baton Rouge. Gay was preceded in death by her father Edward Everett Rouse, who died in December 1944 at the Battle of the Bulge without having seen his daughter, her mother Maxine Weldon Gipson and her adoptive father Benjamin Newton Gipson. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 22, 2014, in the Parish Hall Parlor at St. James Episcopal Church, Baton Rouge, from 9:00 AM until the Requiem Eucharist in the Church at 11:00 AM, celebrated by The Very Rev. J. Mark Holland. Gay attended LSU, earning a BA degree (History) and a Masters of Library Science. Upon completing her studies, she embarked upon a long and successful career in the library sciences working at the Atlanta Public Library, Atlanta, GA; Newellton High School, Newellton, LA; East Baton Rouge Parish Library, Baton Rouge, LA; University of Arkansas Medical Center Library, Little Rock, AR; LSU Medical Center, Earl K. Long Hospital Medical Library, Baton Rouge, LA; and, lastly, Woman's Hospital Medical Library, Baton Rouge, LA, where she served for 22 years until her retirement in 2012. Professionally, she was a member of Beta Phi Mu Honorary Scholastic Library Science Society; Baton Rouge Hospital Librarians Association, past Chairperson; Southeastern Medical Librarians Association; Health Sciences Library Association of Louisiana, past President; and South Central Region Medical Library Association, past President; Gay was a very active member of St. James Episcopal Church for the entirety of her adult life. She wasa member of St. Dorcas and the Altar Guild, Co-Chairman of the James Gang and former President of the St. James chapter of Episcopal Church Women. She was a Sustaining Member of the Junior League of Baton Rouge, Magnolia Mound Docent, past president of the Baton Rouge Speech and Hearing Guild, a member of the Baton Rouge Bar Association Auxiliary and a devoted member of Les Jeunes Dames Study Club. At LSU, Gay was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, Louisiana Beta Chapter, and continued her love of the chapter and its affairs until her death. She has been a member of the Chapter Advisory Committee and the House Corporation. She was currently serving as the Alumnae Club President and as a member of the capital campaign, helping to secure funding for the chapter. Gay's interests varied widely, but fashion, hospitality, history and gardening were paramount. Her love of gardening culminated in her receiving the designation of Master Gardener through the Louisiana Master Gardener Program, LSU AgCenter. As with her gardening, she cultivated and nurtured an endless number of friends that she valued so highly and reaped much from all of the relationships. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations may be sent to St. James Episcopal Church of Baton Rouge; Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Foundation (for breast cancer research and patient care); LSU Foundation (for the benefit of the School of Library and Information Science); Pi Beta Phi Foundation, Louisiana Beta Chapter; or another charity of your choice.  Rabenhorst Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.