William A. Gay, 69 of Houston, Texas passed away on July 10, 2018 at his home in Palacios, Texas. Bill was born in Kansas City, MO on November 1, 1948 to John and Mary Ann (Duncan) Gay.
Bill graduated from St. John’s High School in 1967 and went on to earn his BA in Political Science attending the University of North Carolina and SMU and a Master’s in Education Counseling from Prairie View A&M.
Bill was a man of unbounded optimism, his dreams molded by the words of his hero Teddy Roosevelt: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Bill was a lifelong learner and traveler who made friends everywhere he went and could always make you laugh when you wanted to cry. He had many careers: ‘peace corp’ type of work in Guatemala, public accounting, drug counseling, teaching and real estate development and management. Bill was dedicated to preserving historic homes and in 2012 was recognized for his contributions to the Historic Sixth Ward neighborhood in Houston. In recent years, Bill enjoyed supporting local philanthropy and community events in Palacios such as wetland preservation and concerts at the Outrigger.
Bill is survived by his daughter, Mariana Gay residing in Boston, MA; his brothers and their families: Jim and Marsha Scout Gay of Santa Fe, NM; and John and Ann Gay of Topeka, KS. He is also survived by four nieces and two nephews who along with their children, 14 grand-nieces and nephews brought him great joy and memories over the years.
A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, July 15, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the Lowe Theater at St. John’s School, 2707 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, TX 77098.
To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of William A. Gay, please visit our Tribute Store.
