OMEGA - Robert Louis "R.L." Gay, 94, of Omega died Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014, at his residence. His funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in the chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Charles R. Gay Jr. officiating. Mr. Gay will be laid to rest at Omega Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Randy Gay, Freddy Permenter, Rob Permenter, Rodney Glaze, Ricky Baker and Chris Gay will serve as pallbearers. Mr. Gay was born on Oct. 9, 1920 in Ty Ty and was the son of Charlie Mack Gay, who died April 27, 1981, and Nora Blanche "Pendley" Gay of Norman Park, who died Nov. 3, 1977. Both families are buried at Salem Baptist Church Cemetery. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Ruby Dubose Helms Gay, who died July 30, 1996; a stepson, Jerry Helms, who died Aug. 28, 1980; a brother, Ralph A. Gay of Jasper, Fla., who died May 1, 2000; a sister, Mildred L. Gay, who was born on Jan. 3, 1927 and died March 19, 1927; and a grandson, Doug Mitchell. Mr. Gay retired from the Lakeland Water Department in Lakeland, Fla. He served in the United States Army Air Corps Signal Corps during World War II from Sept. 16, 1942 to Jan. 14, 1946, receiving numerous medals. He was a member of Bethel Baptist Church in Omega. Mr. Gay is survived by a son, Jimmy Mac Gay of Kathleen, Fla.; two daughters, Shirley Helms Marchant of Tifton and Janet Helms Rome of Thomasville; 10 grandchildren and their spouses, Randy and Ashley Gay of Lakeland, Fla., Brandy Leigh Gay-Schulz of Lakeland, Fla., Amy Lynn Gay of Omega, Yolanda and Ricky Baker of Tifton, Nancy Glaze of Tifton, Patsy and Freddy Permenter of Statenville, Lorie Marchant of Tifton, Matt Rome of Thomasville, Chris Rome of Thomasville and Melissa Mitchell; 11 great-grandchildren; seven step-great-great-grandchildren; and three brothers, James E. Gay of Jefferson, Charles "Ronald" Gay of Jefferson and Glen E. Gay of Sand Hill, Va. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 38, P.O. Box 2382, Tifton, GA 31793. Condolences may be sent to the family at the online guest registry at www.bowen-donaldson.com. Services for the Gay family are under the care and direction of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.