Daniel L. Gay, 90, passed away peacefully on Aug. 25, 2022 at Hill House in Bath after a brief illness. Daniel was born on Aug. 1, 1932 in West Medway, Mass., the son of Clarence O. Gay and Hilda V. (Rosell) Gay. He graduated from Norfolk Agricultural School and started his work life on dairy farms. He loved working with the livestock and was proud of his lifelong rapport with animals.
He met and married Ruth E. Kennerson in 1962 and after starting a family, he worked in construction and eventually left that field for steadier work at Baker Nail Co. in Framingham, Mass. He also picked up a Saturday job at State Lumber Co. in Holliston, Mass., which eventually panned out to a full-time job with that company in a field he really enjoyed. As a woodworker, a hobby he had learned from his father, he always loved a good hardware store. In the evenings, he would make frames and fulfill orders for the customers who came into the needlework store that his wife managed.
In 1979, Dan moved the family to his wife’s home state of Maine, the camping vacation spot the whole family enjoyed each year. He and his wife bought a house in Bath, and he then began 21 years of employment with Bath Iron Works as a pipe coverer. After retiring in 2001, he picked up what was supposed to be a temporary job working for his son-in-law at Damariscotta Hardware, but 15 years later finally retired for good at the age of 84. He made many good friends there and was well known for his sense of humor, work ethic, and being a jack-of-all-trades, building tables for the greenhouses, countertops in the store, and other furniture as needed.
Dan was passionate about Sunday rides, nature walks, cross-country skiing, camping trips, woodworking, and his family. He loved nothing better than loading the family into the station wagon and motoring down back country roads, with stops for nature hikes whenever he found an interesting spot. He loved living in Maine, enjoyed every season and all the opportunities he had for hiking in the woods by simply going out his front door to access the Bath Trail System. The only thing that could make it more enjoyable was if one of his kids or grandkids were with him to appreciate the beauty of a lady slipper, or a princess pine bowing under a lacy shawl of snow. A simple man, he was rich in love and wonderful memories. He will be deeply missed.
He was predeceased by his wife of 52 years, Ruth E. (Kennerson) Gay; as well as his parents; six brothers; and a sister. He is survived by his children: daughters, Roxann E. Gardiner and her husband, Robert, of Damariscotta, Bonnie L. Ricker and her husband, Darryl, of Woolwich, Julie B. Sager and her husband, Chris, of Raleigh, N.C.; and son, Steven D. Gay, of Bath. He is also survived by grandchildren, Shaun Curry and his wife, Amanda, Zachary Curry and his wife, Heather, Allyson Sager, Jeremy Ricker, Alexandra Gardiner, Daniel Gardiner, and Ryan Gardiner; as well as great-grandchildren, Anniston Curry, Luke Curry, and Arthur Curry. He is also survived by one brother, Clarence O. Gay, of Medway, Mass.; and several nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 30 at the Desmond Funeral Home, 638 High St. in Bath. There will be a private burial service for the immediate family.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Dan’s name to the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, P.O. Box 1128, Bath, ME 04530 to help maintain the trail system that Dan so loved.
To share your thoughts and condolences with the family, please visit desmondfuneralhomes.com.
