Pretty aweful Studebaker day!

[Bo Markham]

Today I found out that my very good and dear friend Don Gay passed away Saturday. I just can't express the sorrow I'm feeling at his lose, not only to me, but to the whole of Studedom. He was one of those rare individuals. About as kind and honest a person as you will ever likely meet. He was one of our oldest, dearest SDC members, and long time parts vendor from Low Point, Ill.

For anyone that might be interested in sending flowers, his funeral service will be held this Thursday at the Mason Funeral Home in Metamora, Ill. Other condolences/cards may be sent to his wife Mrs. Nancy Gay at PO Box 77 Lowpoint, Ill. 61545.

[Studedude]

Thanks for sharing this loss, Bo.

[whacker]

I am really sorry to hear this. He was one of the first vendors I dealt with when I bought my first Stude. He was a fine person and an honest dealer.

[9echo]

I met Don a couple months ago when I needed a trunk hinge for my '48 Starlight Coupe. He was a true gentleman and we had a good time visiting. I was amazed by his vast inventory of parts.

[skyway]

Awful news indeed.
Don Gay was a great Studebaker person, and an even finer man!
Some of my best Studebaker memories are visits to Lowpoint, and running into Don and Nancy at a national meet or the spring Swap.
My first visit to Lowpoint was several years ago; an unannounced stop on the way home from a family vacation.
While Don gave me the grand tour, Nancy and my wife visited on their glider and supervised our 6 year old on his bicycle.
I forgot my straw hat in Don's office, and it arrived by mail before I had the chance to call and ask them to hold it for me.
The Krautmann's send their prayers and condolences to Nancy and the Family.

[unclemiltie]

This is really sad news. I had talked to Nancy on Thursday as I was trying to arrange our local chapter yearly tour to see Don and his parts. She said he had been in the hospital for 17 days. He yelled that to her while she was talking to em that he would call me as soon as he could get back to the garage. Prayers and condolences to Nancy and daughters.

[Adamsavanti]

OK, this explains why he didn't answer my parts inquiry of 3-4 weeks ago. Even though he only listed phone numbers in his recent TW ads, I sent a note to his house with all the numbers just so Nancy wouldn't have to write them all down when I phoned! Just this past Saturday I said to myself, call Don and see what's going on. I suspected something must be amiss. I bought many things from him over the years, and when I recently ran into a dead end for parts for my Avanti I thought of Don. Only met him and Nancy once at the last South Bend meet. He and Nancy were the nicest, most hospitable people. A loss for our club. I wonder what will happen to his amazing parts cache. A sad day for Studedom.

[Studebaker Wheel]

I would echo the sentiments of all of those who have posted. Don was one fine fellow. I had known him since the '60s and we had numerous dealings on parts. Thought some of you might like the photo above that I took of Don at his place about five years ago.

[BobPalma]

Great photos, Dick; 'well-captured the man "in his natural habitat," as Fozzie Bear would say!

Don was truly a good guy and will be missed. BP

[Kurt]

The first time I ever met Don Gay was in the mid eighties. I was not even 20 yet. Grandpa's 51 had a brake shoe that the lining had come off of. This was before either of us even knew about SDC, so we did not know what to do about parts. Grandpa had kept a newspaper article printed in the Peoria Journal Star about a man named Don Gay from Lowpoint, IL who was a "studebaker man". Grandpa had me call him and sure enough he was able to help us out. This started a lifelong friendship. I have made the 60 mile trip to Lowpoint many times to get parts for the 51 and later a 55 truck that Grandpa had and then later still for the 66 that I have. He was very fair. When i got my own Studebaker in 1996, I was 30 years old and had 3 young children. Don knew all of this, and he would always "give" me something at the end of our business, that he thougt I could use. Life has kept me from my Studes for a bit here, so i had not seen Don since last winter. The last time though, I asked him about one of his parts cars, I needed a small section to replace a rusted one on mine, and he said take the whole thing if it will do you any good. Truly a great man and i for one will miss him very much.

[BobPalma]

The first time I ever met Don Gay was in the mid eighties. I was not even 20 yet. Grandpa's 51 had a brake shoe that the lining had come off of. This was before either of us even knew about SDC, so we did not know what to do about parts. Grandpa had kept a newspaper article printed in the Peoria Journal Star about a man named Don Gay from Lowpoint, IL who was a "studebaker man". Grandpa had me call him and sure enough he was able to help us out. This started a lifelong friendship. I have made the 60 mile trip to Lowpoint many times to get parts for the 51 and later a 55 truck that Grandpa had and then later still for the 66 that I have. He was very fair. When i got my own Studebaker in 1996, I was 30 years old and had 3 young children. Don knew all of this, and he would always "give" me something at the end of our business, that he thougt I could use. Life has kept me from my Studes for a bit here, so i had not seen Don since last winter. The last time though, I asked him about one of his parts cars, I needed a small section to replace a rusted one on mine, and he said take the whole thing if it will do you any good. Truly a great man and i for one will miss him very much.

I've been waiting for you to post, Kurt; knowing of your close relationship to Don Gay. 'Good that, as a younger, new SDCer a couple years ago, you were able to so well know one of the very type person (Don) who provided the foundation for today's Studebaker hobby.

Now, perhaps you are close enough, geography-wise, to answer the burning question us wordsmiths have: Is it Lowpoint or Low Point? BP

[Kurt]

It is Low Point. My bad. I am not the first one to get that wrong. On that last visit I mentioned earlier, I took my college son along. He was doing a paper for one of his Journalism classes at Bradley University. The paper was to be about someone who had a "unique sideline business". I told Tyler, my son, that selling Studebaker parts was pretty unique and I would set it up. Don gave Tyler a good interview, and he ended up getting an A on the project.

[BobPalma]

It is Low Point. My bad. I am not the first one to get that wrong. On that last visit I mentioned earlier, I took my college son along. He was doing a paper for one of his Journalism classes at Bradley University. The paper was to be about someone who had a "unique sideline business". I told Tyler, my son, that selling Studebaker parts was pretty unique and I would set it up. Don gave Tyler a good interview, and he ended up getting an A on the project.

Oh, I didn't mean you, Kurt. If you read all the various postings about Don Gay hither and yon, it seems to be split about 50/50; Low Point versus Lowpoint.

'Could be either one; I was just curious, and figured you'd know for sure. BP