Born June 3, 1925 in Clay County, WV, she was raised by her parents, the late Thomas Jefferson and Laura Belle (White) Boggs, in Big Otter, WV. Gay moved to Baltimore as a teenager where she resided for 42 years. Longing for the hills of West Virginia, she moved to Orrtanna where she lived out her remaining years. Gay was a devoted member of Pastor Ken Reid's Mountain Top Ministries in Orrtanna. She had a God-given talent to write poetry and songs, a few of which were published. Gay was employed at the Fairfield Inn for many years, and she enjoyed traveling and shopping for antiques in her free time.

Survivors include her daughter, Taunnie Novak and her husband Sonny of St. Augustine, FL; two sons, John Wayne Charney and his companion Kate Boston, and Nicholas T. Charney, both of Orrtanna; ten grandchildren; twenty-six great-grandchildren; two nieces; and four nephews. She also leaves behind the loving and caring members of the Bigham family.

She was preceded in death by a son, Marc Shannon Charney; and six siblings.

The funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at the Peters Funeral Home, 321 Carlisle St., Gettysburg, with Pastor Kenneth R.W. Reid and her nephew, Pastor J.E. Boggs, officiating. A viewing will be held between 7 and 9 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. A second viewing will begin 10:00 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens.

Serving as pallbearers will be Sonny Novak, Dennis Boggs, Vincent Novak, James C. Bigham, Jr., Denny Rurick, and Chris Woodward.

For those desiring, contributions may be made in Gay's memory to Mountain Top Ministries, 200 Church Road, Orrtanna, PA 17353 or the American Cancer Society, PO Box 3535, Gettysburg, PA 17325.

To share memories of Gay, please click on "Sign Guest Book" above. A video celebrating her life can be viewed by clicking "View Video Tribute" link above.