Rev. Robert E Gay

Robert "Bob" Gay was born on July 13, 1935, in Canton, Georgia, to Mr. and Mrs. Earl Eugene and Ollie Jean (Fowler) Gay. After growing up with seven siblings in Canton, he earned his bachelor's degree at Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) in Hampton, Virginia. It was at Hampton that he met, courted, and – upon graduation – married Beatrice "Bea" Riddick on May 30, 1958. Shortly thereafter, Bob was drafted by the United States Army and eventually stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. While at Fort Bragg, in October 1959, they welcomed the birth of their first son, Terence Phillip Gay.

Once Bob completed his military service obligation, the young family relocated to Denver, Colorado. Kenneth Eugene Gay – their second son – was born in July 1963, during their time in Denver. In 1970, career-advancement opportunities enabled them to move from Arvada (a Denver suburb) to Urbandale (a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa); then from Urbandale to Glen Ellyn in 1973.

After retiring from his vocation as an industrial engineer, Bob's passion to utilize his technical/project management expertise for the benefit of Chicago Area Southern Baptist Association churches led to a new calling, for which he became an ordained minister and missionary. Once he retired from this second career, he continued to share his spiritual gifts and administrative skills in support of a number of pastors, missionaries, and congregations, both locally and internationally.

Robert Gay is survived by his wife Beatrice Gay; sons Terence (Leslie) Gay and Kenneth (Judith) Gay; sisters Ruth Fields and Julia (Paul) Durham; and a number of beloved grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Services entrusted to Chapel Hill Gardens West Funeral Home.

For more information please call (630) 941-5860.