Irene Gay

IRENE GAY was born in Sussex County, Virginia on December 8, 1916 to James Garfield Chambliss and Mary-Sue James Chambliss. She begin developing her love for singing at the Family's home church Marsh-Hill Zion in Wakesfield Virginia. Irene attended school in Wakefield before coming to Baltimore, Maryland where she continued her education by attending night school at Frederick Douglass High School. As a young adult, she became a member of the senior choir at Bethel A.M.E. Church. On March 13, 1937, she married Garland Gay. This union lasted for 56 years until Garland's death in 1993 at the age of 83. Garland and Irene became devoted and lifelong members of the First Christian Community Baptist Church in 1975. The both were very active in church activities: Irene was treasurer for the church utility guild and Garland with the junior and senior usher boards. She became known in the church for her delicious coconut cakes and his family, she still remained and maintained her membership and loyalty to the First Christian Community Baptist Church and Family in Baltimore, Maryland. Other than singing, her life's joy was to cook and bake for large family dinners during holidays. Christmas was a very special time in the Gay household because Irene began to prepare weeks before by baking her famous cookie and fruit cakes to give to family and friends as gifts. On Sunday mornings, one could not only smell the aromas of homemade rolls and food coming from the kitchen, but the hymns and spiritual sang by Irene while she cooked. Irene lived to be 100 years old, and when asked what was the best things in her life, she would say (1) would be the love of her life, Garland, (2) to see her children grow up and be successful (3) to live to see her grand and great-grand-children and (4) the election of the first Black President and live through his administration was a real blessing. She would always say how proud she was of President and Mrs. Obama and their family. Irene was preceded in death by: her husband of 56 years, Garland Gay Sr., sons Garland Gay Jr. and Addison Nathaniel Gay. She is survived by: her son Lawrence and his wife, Virginia of Waverly, VA, son, James and his wife, Joyce of Highland Park New Jersey; five grandchildren, Garland Jeffery Gay of Washington DC, Gina Chambliss of Maryland, Valeria Chambliss Dent (Kenneth) of Maryland, Tari Gay Caldwell of Washington DC and Lisa Pocahontas Gay of New Jersey and four great-grandchildren, Jerried Dent, Jeremiah Dent, Jasmine Dent and Cleo Caldwell as well as a host of other relatives and friends.

Tributes

Irene Gay

December 8, 1916 - February 26, 2017