Gertrude Mary Houston and William DeForrest Gay
WILLIAM DEFORREST GAY was born October 11, 1863 in Barry, Pike, Iowa,456 and died January 9, 1941 in Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska.456 He is buried in Essex Cemetery, Page County, Iowa.456
He married GERTRUDE MARY HOUSTON on March 6, 1895 in Creston, Union, Iowa,1853 daughter of SARAH LOUISE BELL and JOSEPH F. HOUSTON. She was born April 7, 1875 in Denmark, Lee, Iowa,8592 and died May 30, 1913 in Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska.8592 She is buried in Essex Cemetery, Page County, Iowa.456
Children of GERTRUDE MARY HOUSTON and WILLIAM DEFORREST GAY:
- WILLIAM DEFOREST GAY, b. September 17, 1895, Lamoni, Decatur, Iowa;3434, 250 m. VIOLA MARIE HAGGLUND on December 31, 1925 in Des Moines, Polk, Iowa3434; d. May 21, 1961, San Diego County, California.250
- JAMES HOUSTON GAY, b. November 15, 1897, Lamoni, Decatur, Iowa;2432, 7377 m. NANETTE LOUISE HAMILTON on January 12, 1933 in Grants Pass, Josephine, Oregon8219; d. March 22, 1945, Alameda County, California.250
- GERTRUDE HOPE GAY, b. December 4, 1899, Essex, Page, Iowa; m. MARTIN ORLANDO STAVAAS on August 10, 1928 in Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota8599; d. September 12, 1953.8594
- ROBERT GAY, b. October 27, 1902, Essex, Page, Iowa;8596 d. July 5, 1928, Axtell, Kearney, Nebraska.8596
- SELWYN GAY, b. July 12, 1904, Essex, Page, Iowa;456 m. LOUISE FRISTOE on July 3, 1926 in St. Joseph, Buchanan, Missouri8605, 940; d. September 8, 1940, Essex, Page, Iowa.3746
- DORIS L. GAY, b. 1911;456 m. DR. LAWRENCE MILBURN ROHRBAUGH on March 9, 1935 in Los Angeles County, California7540; d. March 7, 1986, Cleveland County, Oklahoma;456 bur. IOOF Cemetery, Norman, Cleveland, Oklahoma.456
Personal Information
Gertrude M. Houston
- was a member of the Congregational Church, Creston, Union, Iowa. 8592
- was a member of the Presbyterian Church, Essex, Page, Iowa. 8592
Work History
- William DeForrest Gay was a jeweler in Essex, Iowa.
Obituaries
Essex Independent, May 23, 19138591
MRS. W. D. GAY PASSES OVER RIVER OF DEATH
Very sudden and terrible was the blow to the family and to the people of Essex when on yesterday morning came a message from Mr. Gay at the Clarkson hospital stating that Mrs. Gay passed away at 5:20 Thursday morning.
Mrs. Gay accompanied by her son DeForrest left home the first of last week for Omaha where Mrs. Gay entered Clarkson hospital and submitted to a very delicate and difficult operation to remove a growth from the base of the tongue, which had been giving her considerable trouble for some little time past and was steadily growing worse. After the operation which took place last Friday morning she seemed to be recovering very nicely when on Sunday night a change for the worse took place and her condition became so alarming that DeForrest wired his father to come at once, Mr. Gay receiving the message just in time Monday morning to catch the early train. DeForrest came home Monday evening and reported his mother resting a little easier. Mr. Gay came home Tuesday evening and told us that if there was any change it was for the better. Wednesday afternoon a telephone message came from the hospital stating Mrs. Gay was very low and for Mr. Gay to come at once. He left on the evening train for the bedside of his wife arriving just a few hours before she passed away and the telegram telling of her death was received yesterday morning at 7:30.
The grief stricken husband accompanied the remains home last evening coming by the way of Hamburg.
The funeral will be held on Sunday but the time and place is not definitely settled as we go to press or are we able to give full particulars regarding the life of the deceased but will do this in our next issue.
Essex Independent, May 30, 19138592
FUNERAL OF MRS. GAY HELD SUNDAY AFTERNOON
The funeral of Mrs. W. D. Gay, beloved wife of Mayor W. D. Gay, was held at the Presbyterian church Sunday afternoon May 25th at 2 o'clock. The church was crowded and many there were who could not gain admission, for it was a large concourse of friends who had gathered to pay their last respects to this lovely woman. The funeral was conducted by Rev. McClelland, pastor of the church of which the deceased had long been a member and he delivered a very beautiful and touching sermon, paying a splendid tribute to womanhood.
The remains were laid to rest in the family lot in the Essex cemetery, bourne to their last resting place by the city officials who acted as pall bearers.
The following obituary was read during the service:— Gertrude Mary Houston was born in Denmark, Iowa April 7, 1875. Her parents moved to Burlington when she was but four years of age, moving from there to Creston, Ia. in 1890 where in 1894 she was married to W. D. Gay. Immediately after marriage she, with her husband, moved to Lamoni, Decatur county, this state, where they resided till in 1897 when they came to Essex, which place has since been their home.
Seven children came to bless this happy union, one little one preceding the mother to the glory world. The living are DeForrest, James, Gertrude, Robert, Sewyn and Doris who, with the husband are left to mourn. Beside the immediate family are left one brother and three sisters: Forrest Houston of Burlington Iowa; Mrs. Ella Palmer of Creston; Mrs. Belle D'Acres of Vinton, and Mrs. Englesby, of Watertown, South Dakota.
In her girlhood, Mrs. Gay was a member of the Congregational church in Creston. After coming to Essex she united with the Presbyterian church and has always been a true and faithful worker, always doing her full duty. She passed away at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha, Thursday morning May 22, 1913, aged 38 years, 1 month and 6 days.
With her departure the family lose a loving wife and mother and Esses loses one of God's noble women.
Mrs. Gay was a lady that was loved by all who knew her. In the home she will be sorely missed for here it was that she was Queen always claiming that her first duty was to her family and her husband and children idolized her. Stricken down in the very flower of life just at a time when she was so well loved, so happy and so much needed. Not only do the family grieve but all Essex mourns the taking away of this beautiful character.
Census Records
| Date | Location | Enumerated Names |
|---|---|---|
| June 17, 18803419 | Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa | |
| June 30, 19003853 | Pierce, Page, Iowa |
|
| April 18, 19103444 | Pierce, Page, Iowa |
|
| 19208602 | Essex, Page, Iowa |
|
