Gay was born in Olympia, Washington, to Owen John and Lillie Bell Williams. Her girlhood years were spent in Olympia where she graduated from Olympia HS in 1946. She graduated from the University of Oregon School of Music in 1950, and boy did she love her Ducks! She married her high school sweetheart Robert (Bob) Dawley of Olympia in 1950 and they had two sons, Doug and Gregg.
Gay’s marriage to Bob, a Yakima architect, ended after 31 years in 1981 with his sudden death. They were Yakima residents together for 25 years. She married Frank A. Phillips of Calgary, Canada in July 1984. Their 20 years of marriage were spent happily shuttling between Yakima, Calgary and Maui. They also shared many amazing trips around the world. Frank died in 2004.
Gay is survived by her two sons and their spouses, Douglas (Paula) and Gregg (Kris), and five grandchildren, Lia, Ella, Will, Clara, and Emma. She is also survived by Frank’s children, Alice (Mike), Frances (Stephen), Tom (Susan), Robert (Melissa), and their nine children, Rob, Mary, Patrick, Laura, Rachel, Blair, Martha, Ian and Graham, who were all very dear to Gay.
Memorials may be made in lieu of flowers and in her name to St. Timothy’s Church, the Yakima Community Band, the Yakima Symphony Orchestra, or to your favorite charity. A memorial service will be held at Noon on Saturday, December 2 at St. Timothy’s Church.