Obituary of James "Jimmy" Gay

Funeral services for James “Jimmy” Mayfield Gay, age 91, of Roanoke will be held on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 2:00 PM at Big Springs Baptist Church with Rev. David Daniel and Rev. Steve Dempsey officiating. Burial will follow in the adjoining cemetery with Benefield Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5:00-7:00 PM on Monday, November 8, 2021.  Mr. Gay will lie in state at the church for one hour prior to services beginning on Tuesday.

Mr. Gay passed away Sunday, November 7, 2021, at Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton.

Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Clara Gay of Roanoke; two daughters, Belinda McManus (Darrell) of Wedowee and Cindy Arrington of Woodland; two sons, Phillip Wayne Gay of Woodland and Tim Gay (Barbie) of Roanoke; seven grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Brandon Gay, Matt Gay, T.J. Arrington, Logan Arrington, Caleb Clemons, Roger Chambers, Theron Gay, and Tim Edmondson.  Honorary pallbearers will be the Big Springs Men Sunday School Class.

A Randolph County native, Mr. Gay was born on July 19, 1930, the son of William Troy and Lexa Johnson Gay. He was a member of Big Springs Baptist Church where he served as the Sunday School superintendent for many years and was a United States Air Forces veteran of the Korean conflict and also served two years in the National Guard.  Mr. Gay was a Handley High School graduate and attended the Alabama Trade School to learn printing and worked as a printer by trade and retired from Hester Printing.  Mr. Gay was preceded in death by his parents and two siblings, Dot Hester and Rosella Sanders.

Memorials may be floral or donations may be made to the Big Springs Cemetery Fund at P.O. Box 1312, Roanoke, AL 36274.