Lee Walter Gay

Lee Walter Gay, age 91, a former Colville resident, passed away in La Monte, Missouri on February 8, 2026. Lee was born on December 25, 1934, to Mary (Morris) and Walter Gay in Ellensburg, Washington. He was the youngest of four children. Lee attended Puyallup High School graduating with the class of 1953. On September 26, 1954 Lee married Jean Moorhead in Puyallup, Washington, with the ceremony officiated by his grandfather, a Baptist minister. Lee and Jean had five children:Richard, Randolph, Virginia, Diane, and Rebecca. He was employed at Container Corporation in Seattle and later at St. Regis Lumber Company in Issaquah, before moving to Colville, Washington in 1971. Lee and Jean built their dream house on Aladdin Road in Colville and the family enjoyed raising chickens, rabbits, pigs, sheep, a milk cow, and a lively assortment of dogs and cats. Lee worked as a custodian for the Colville School District while living in Colville. Lee and Jean eventually started their own carpet cleaning business, Carpet Cleaning. Lee enjoyed hunting and fishing. He and his family spent many hours fishing the multitude of lakes in the Colville area. As a family, they also enjoyed traveling to many of the National Parks in their camper. Lee enjoyed sitting around a campfire and gazing at the stars on a warm summer night. Lee’s beloved wife, Jean, passed away on March 2, 1997. Lee was introduced to Ganelle Reid the summer of 1998. The two fell in love and married on December 20, 1999, Lee joined Ganelle in La Monte, Missouri, where they made a life together, and he welcomed the entire Reid family in his heart. For 26 years, Lee and Ganelle enjoyed traveling together, sharing meals at the table, sitting on the front porch watching the birds and wildlife, and tending to their flower beds and vegetable gardens. Lee had a soft heart for animals and would take in every stray cat, raccoon, or even a coyote, making sure they were properly fed. Lee had a heart for the Lord. There was nothing more important to Lee than his relationship with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Lee read the Word of God daily and went nowhere without his Bible. He was a devoted member of Mt. Zion Christian Church and frequently served as a lay minister. His love for the Lord was present in every day of his life, and he shared the good news of the love of Jesus to everyone he met. Lee was preceded by his siblings Lucille Kronquist, Raymond Gay, and Wilma Whitener, by his wife Jean (Moorhead)) Gay, and his infant son, Randolph Gay. Lee is survived by his wife, Ganelle Reid-Gay; his children: Richard Gay ( Janet), Virginia Ramshaw (William), Diane Greis ( James), and Rebecca Anderson (Robert): 10 grandchildren: Randy Lamb (Danielle), Bryan Gay (Susie), Jennifer iorton (Rowan), Rachel Harder (Brandon), Rebecca Ramshaw (Gari Gorgodze), Amanda Ramshaw, Travis Kreis (Leah), Roxanne Bos (Mathew), Jedidiah Anderson, and Sarah Anderson; and 14 great-grandchildren: Emmett, Daniel, Sadie, Corban, connor, Brandon, Elisabeth, Jackson, Nora, Bryson, Hudson, Adlee, Witten and Taylee. Lee is also survived by his stepsons and their families, Jerry Reid )Tina), Harlan Reid )Lynn, Gail Reid (Karen), and Chris Reid. A celebration of life service will be held at 11am on Saturday June 6, 2026 at the Ag Trade Center at 411 W. Astor Street in Colville Washington.