On the morning of February 13, 2023, Jerry Bent Gay, Sr. of Dublin, Georgia, died peacefully at home, with his wife of sixty years by his side. He was 83 years young. A dedicated husband, devoted father, proud grandfather, uncle, admired and respected businessman, and friend to all, Jerry was rarely seen without a smile, and he will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
Jerry was born to Ralph and Rubie Gay of Garfield on January 6, 1940. He attended Emanuel County Institute in Twin City where he was the captain of the football team and met the love of his life, Beth Jones Gay. Beth fell in love with the tall, lanky athlete with a flat top haircut, crisp white tee-shirt, and Thunderbird. Jerry graduated from ECI in 1958. Jerry began work with his father running pulp wood trucks. This was the beginning of his interest and passion for the timber business. Jerry and Beth were married on December 29, 1962 and started their lives together in Augusta, Ga.
Jerry was a self-made man who believed in the value of hard work to achieve success. While in Augusta, he was a civilian employee at Fort Gordon, where he worked as a forester and an engineer. After moving to Dublin in 1968, Jerry joined his brother, Gene, in running Ocmulgee Wood Company. Ocmulgee Wood Company would later become Gay Wood Company. Jerry ran Gay Wood Company until he retired at the age of 80. Jerry loved his career; he loved learning the timber industry, understanding the economics of it and building honest and transparent relationships with the timber owner. He had the utmost respect for his employees who became family to him.
Jerry and Beth made their home in Dublin, Ga in 1968 and have lived at the same property, surrounded by pine trees, since 1974. Jerry supervised several additions to the original home, and he painstakingly oversaw every element of the rebuild of their home after a fire in 2014. He loved working outdoors, working and walking in his yard, mowing on his tractor, and adjusting his sprinkler system. He was proud of the home they had made together. Jerry was an avid golfer; he loved golfing with friends and family as often as he could and was happy to make a bet, as long as you were willing to give him strokes. Jerry and Beth traveled the world together, often traveling with friends, and then later with their children and grandchildren. Jerry was a member of Pine Forest Church, the Dublin Country Club and previously on the board of Trinity Christian School.
Above all, Jerry was a family man. He was happiest at home surrounded by family and friends. He was a devoted father and grandfather. His grandchildren called him Buddy and he was in the stands for every football, basketball, baseball and cheerleading games when they were in school. He relished being a grandfather and seeing his grandchildren grow up around him.
Jerry is survived by his wife Beth, his three sons, Bent Gay and his wife Amy of Dublin, Evan Gay of Dublin, and Trey Gay and his wife Shaina of Fayette, AL; his grandchildren, Amelia (and husband Matt Chambers), JB, William, Mitchell and Carly Gay; his sister-in-law Faye Gay of Dublin; his surrogate daughter Lisa Jones and her husband Steve Radanovic and their daughters Lauren and Claire of Washington, D.C.; nieces and nephews and many, many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Rubie, his brothers Jackie and Gene and his brothers-in-law, James, Proctor and Albert.
Services will be held on Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 2pm at Pine Forest Church with burial to follow at Northview Cemetery. Rev. Brett Maddock and Dr. Joel Dent will officiate. Pallbearers will be Jerry’s grandsons, William, JB and Mitchell Gay and his nephews Steve Radanovic, Brandon Jones and Kyle Jones.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pine Forest Church, 400 Woods Avenue, Dublin, GA 31021.
Please click the link below to be directed to the church's YouTube Channel and Live Stream of the service for Mr. Gay.
https://www.youtube.com/@PineForestChurch
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