William Wilson Gay Obituary
After a lifetime of faith and love, Bill Gay passed peacefully into the joy of Everlasting Life on Thursday, November 13. He was 82.
Born in Niagara, Wisconsin, on September 24, 1943, William Wilson Gay was the second child of Jane and William Gay. When Bill was in high school, the family purchased a cottage on Lake Mary near Iron Mountain, Michigan which immediately began a lifelong love affair with the lake, a blessing he would share with his own children later in life. Bill's love for family, for nature and for God were gifts his parents gave him during his childhood, and those loves only grew deeper over time.
Bill was a National Honor Society graduate from Niagara High School in 1961 and he went on to graduate from UW-Oshkosh with a degree in English. It was there he met and roomed with Tom Beyer, his lifelong best friend. Tom and his girlfriend, Joyce, conspired to introduce their respective roommates to one another, and that is how Bill met the love of his life, Susanne Wawak. Both couples actually married on the same day, June 22, 1968. Bill and Susanne were married for 57 years.
Bill earned his Master's Degree in Education from UW-Madison in 1969, and he was a proud UW Badger his entire life, with his favorite color being red. His education made him an ideal fit for a teaching role at Germantown High School where he would teach primarily English over a 35-year distinguished career, including serving as Department Chair and National Honor Society Advisor for most of his career. Most importantly, he was a mentor and role model to hundreds of students over the years.
The English teacher and Susanne as the Spanish/French teacher shared many loves, but travel may have been their favorite. They explored Spain, France, Sri Lanka, Dubai and many of the continental United Sates. As they traveled, Bill and Susanne collected nativity sets, delighting in their shared discovery of how different cultures celebrated the birth of Christ. Over the course of their marriage, they collected nearly 750 nativities, and Bill would spend days setting up both recently acquired and special ones around the house in anticipation of Christmas (always clear that the three Wise Men could not be added until January 6, as the scripture of Jesus' birth explained). Later in life, Bill and Susanne divided the collection and gifted it to churches in Norway, Michigan, and Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, often conducting tours for interested student and adult groups.
In 1971, Bill and Susanne welcomed their daughter, Alissa Jane, and in 1974, their son, David William, making their family complete. Bill and Susanne made their love of learning and travel a key part of family life, splitting summer vacations between the family cottage, educational travel and visits to friends and family across the country.
As teachers, Bill and Susanne embraced the AFS Intercultural Program, an international student exchange program allowing high school students to live in another country, often with a host family. Bill and Susanne hosted numerous international students over the years, with special relationships with Sohani (Sri Lanka), Devy (Barbados) and Nadege (France). Each became a part of Bill and Susanne's family and they traveled internationally to visit their "kids" after they'd returned home.
In 1995, Alissa married Bradd Mosal, and their sons Darren (28) and Zachary (23) added the title of "Proud Grandpa" to Bill's name. David married Jackie Hills in 1998, and they fulfilled Bill's love of dogs with four-legged "grandpups" from the Green Acres Boxer Rescue of Wisconsin.
Bill retired from teaching in 2001, and tackled retirement with the same joy and enthusiasm that he'd brought to the classroom every day. He had been a member of the Menomonee Falls Library Board while he taught, and retirement allowed him to become more active and play a key role in the construction of the Village's new library.
He also joined the Germantown Historical Society, where his talents were put to good use documenting the history of the town. Bill authored three books about Germantown. In 2020, Bill was recognized with the Germantown Lifetime Achievement award.
Retirement also gave Bill time to focus his energy on his family and his beloved hobbies of yard work, reading, playing the piano, and cheering on his Badgers, usually decked out head to toe in red. He planned elaborate "adventures" for his grandsons, and enjoyed summers at the family cottage with Susanne, hosting family and friends from all around the world. He filled stockings for every member of the family each Christmas, put up too many Christmas trees around the house, and decorated the lake pier every Fourth of July with every form of red, white and blue decor imaginable. He simply loved life, and it showed every day in both big and small ways.
He was devoted to the church, including singing in the choir both at home and up North and teaching both Sunday School and Vacation Bible School over the years. Although Bill faced challenges with his health the past two years, nothing dimmed his inexhaustible capacity for love, his inextinguishable love for life or his unshakeable faith. He fought valiantly these past months and passed peacefully with his loved ones surrounding him, certain in his faith and providing a final example of God's grace.
Bill is survived by his wife and life's mate, Susanne, adored daughter Alissa and son-in-law Bradd Mosal (who called him "Dadd") and beloved son David and daughter-in-law Jackie (who called him "dearest Fil"), grandsons Darren (fiancée Andrea) and Zachary. He is further survived by brother John and sister-in-law Tammy and their children Adam (Brittany) and Ashley (Jim), called "Guy Smiley" and "Toots" by their favorite Uncle Bill, as well as nieces Kimberly (Rob) Kowalczik and Robin Gay, and nephews Michael Gay, Rob (Dawn) Calderwood, Scott (Ashley) Calderwood and Austin Lueders-Wawak.
Bill was preceded in Everlasting Life by his parents William Sr. and Jane Gay, sister Suelen and brother-in-law Robert Calderwood, and brother Robert and sister-in-law Allana Gay.
We as Bill's family thank all of you who kept Bill's spirits up these past months and provided your love and support. He loved your visits and the cards and texts you sent, which Susanne read to him as they sat together in the hospital. Your kindness made the journey so much easier and we are forever grateful for your love and generosity.
We owe special thanks to the CFAC12 nursing team at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin and to Dr. Kirk Ludwig and his team, including Jennifer Schuh, Surgery Resident, and Nichole Kellner, APNP, who all gave Bill comfort and dignity at the end of his life. We cannot stress enough how much your time and patience mattered.
We would also like to thank the team at Kathy Hospice. The staff simplified Bill's last days and gave him peace and comfort as he prepared to leave. You all were angels on this side of life, and we were so comforted by your presence, knowledge and caring support.
We will celebrate Bill's life at Emmanuel Community United Methodist Church (N84W16707 Menomonee Avenue, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) on Friday, December 5 with a visitation from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. and service to follow at 3:00 p.m. All who knew and loved Bill are welcome.
If you feel you would like to do something to honor Bill's life, please consider a donation in his name to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which provided a life-changing experience for grandson Darren during his childhood struggle with kidney disease and which has been a favorite charity of Bill and Susanne's ever since, or to Emmanuel Community Church Foundation in Menomonee Falls.
Thank you for all the gifts you gave us and the world, Bill. We know you'll be with us as we continue our lives' journeys without you. We will endeavor to live as joyfully and faithfully as you did and to make you proud.
