Author Archives: bobgaylillieparkerfamily

The Vines Sisters & Family pause during their performance tour in Switzerland: Johnny Ray Daniels, Alice Vines, Dorothy”Sis” Daniels, Mattie Harper, Curt Harper. Back: Anthony “Amp” Daniels and Joe Daniels

From the time when she was a little girl, Dorothy (Sis, to everyone) sang at home, at school, and at church. And the singing at church became a dominant power in her life.

Sis remembers and talks about how the family gathered at Pa and Ma’s house when she was growing up

Sis spent over five decades singing and helping to spread the gospel through song. As a member of The Glorifying Vines Sisters, Sis sang lead on “Call on God,” “How Long,” and “Getting Ready to Go.” She performed and recorded “A Thousand Tongues,” as a duet with her son, Amp.

Dorothy “Sis” Daniels delivering a spiritual message through her singing and testimony.

Anthony “Amp” Daniels shares his thoughts about his mother:

Dr. Eunice M. Gay 

Officially Conferred on December 31, 2022

    Her journey:

It began in a 2-story red house on Statonburgs Road, rural Pitt County, Greenville, North Carolina. There, God endowed/painted an anointing internally that transcends outwardly to impact others. There was always a knowing internally that something different was unexplainable, an unstoppable destiny and purpose designed to interrupt the activity meant to hinder, with the divine anointing of fire.

Through elements of life, God purposefully set the pathway through life’s challenges, and seemingly unpenetrable odds were divinely orchestrated for my triumph. Reflection over the years echoes the wisdom of my Late Grandparents, Robert and Lillie Gay, and Mother, Lucille Blow, enabling a knowing “My Redeemer Lives” And “I Learned to Depend On God” are my portion of perseverance “Keep Going.”

Furthermore, a flame ignites from Andre Crouch’s Tribute, “To God Be the Glory,”  Maya Angelou’s poem, “Life Doesn’t Frighten., Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken,”  and a life-changing poem. “I Shall Not Pass This Way Again.” And a thought-provoking fictional book, The Shack” by William Young.

    My heartbeats: Kim and Terrell (sons: Tyson, Cameron, Austin), Crystal, and Angela filled my life with joy, love, laughter, happiness, and tears of being a Mom and Grandma. I determined my divas would roar high, and so they are and Still fills my heart. The joy of being a grandma is “icing.” 

    A Four-Step Model, “Stay Focused, Linked Up, Pursue, and Conquer,” allowed me to impact the lives of many individuals in the PK-12 Public School and Community College educational systems as an educator and administrator. Why pursue a Doctor of Education Degree, specializing in Educational Leadership and Management, evolves an affirmation of being positioned to upset the norm. There is an urgency and demand for peculiar people to produce unusable outcomes.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”Roman 8:28

Crystal Gay, Kim Gay Smith, Dr. Eunice M. Gay, Angela Gay

My mom is our hero. We have many memories of our mom’s journey. What stands out the most are two things – (1) her trust in God and (2) her devotion to family. To put it plainly, as our mother reached out to God as her guide, she kept her hand back to lead others in His ways. As the daughters of an educator and minister, she deposited 4 core beliefs in us. Any cousin or family friend can more than likely quote these words:

From Her Daughters 

1. Stay Focused

2. Link Up

3. Pursue

4. Conquer

Every car ride to school included prayer and reciting this life mantra. She taught us how to speak life into our future with great expectations. Yes, her hand extended back to us to lead us in His ways. Now that we are older, we greatly appreciate who she is in our lives. When the day came that she shared her desire to pursue her doctorate, we had so many questions.

We wondered why now and how long will it take. We quickly shifted our mindset to what she taught us through this life mantra, as listed above. I quickly understood that she was in pursuit of something greater. She was not going to stop until she conquered her goal. As the Word of God reminds us in Philippians 3:13-14, she pressed towards the mark.

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

Today, we want to take a moment to give honor and acknowledge her accomplishing her dream of becoming Dr. Eunice May Gay. She will soon walk across the stage at Capella University’s Commencement at the Charlotte Convention Center with a Doctor of Education Degree, Specializing in Educational Leadership and Management.

Dr. Gay’s dissertation is titled, “The Impact of Teacher Attrition and Low Morale.”. Many years of servicing in the PK-12  and Community College educational system prompted her pursuing a Doctor of Education Degree, further impacting educational leadership at the state and national levels.

So, family, join us in celebrating Dr. Eunice M.Gay. Her commencement program will take place on Friday, March 3, 2023. While seats are limited, you can certainly view the graduation online when the information becomes available.

As you give her flowers while she is yet here – albeit through encouraging words or gifts, we also remind you to continue your press towards the mark.

Let the words of Jeremiah ring in your hearts. “For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…” Psalm 37: 23

If you thought all the family birthday parties were over for 2022 in the Gay-Parker family, you were wrong.

Why? Because on Sunday, December 18, 2022, eight children, several grandchildren, a wife, a brother, a crowd of  nieces, nephews, church friends and church leaders, and a virtual accompaniment of the same types helped “Rob,”  Uncle Rob, Bishop Robert James Gay celebrate his 90th birthday at the Greenville, NC Hilton.

“Rob,” dominantly known as Bishop and Uncle Rob, is the 9th child of the late Ma Lillie Parker Gay(1897-1984) and the late “Pa Bob” Robert Gay(1896-1978).  Bishop-Uncle Rob Gay was born on December 22, 1932 on the Stantonsburg Road, about three miles from Joyner’s Crossroads.

Bishop-Uncle Rob Gay is marrIed to Mother Ethel Gay. He is the father of Billy Boyd, Dorothy “Tut” Gay, Robert “Bud” Gay, Peggy Wadsworth, Tim Gay, Pam James, Tawanna Johnson, and Kareem Gay. Bishop Uncle Rob is also the brother of Deacon David Gay.

Photographs by Marion Barnes

In May 2022, Dr. William Gay received another accolade to add to his Black Radio Announcer Hall of Fame honors presented in 2021. William is now included among the African American Broadcasters “Radio Legends Of Georgia.”

Terra Gay is Director of Culture and Equity at Charles R. Drew Charter School and Assistant Producer at The King Center in Atlanta, Georgia. She has proven that she is an activist and advocate for children in their cultural, social, and educational growth. On August 3, 2022, Terra will host a virtual discussion about “Gun Violence & Mental Health: Are We Talking to Our Children.”

Dr. William Gay is the husband of Candi Gay and the son of the late George Gay and the late Alice Hemby. He is also a grandson of the late Pa Bob Gay and late Ma Lillie Parker Gay.

Terra Gay, daughter of William and Candi Gay, is the granddaughter of George Gay and Alice Hemby. Terra is also a great granddaughter of Pa Bob Gay and Ma Lillie Parker Gay.

Family, friends, members of CDC, and a host of mothers, deacons, ministers, elders and bishops watched as Bishop-Elect Ronald Gay completed the consecration process on July 8, 2022 and received his confirmation as a bishop in the Unison Free Will Baptist Churches Conference .

The consecration ceremony was held at Salvation and Praise Full Gospel Church in Farmville, NC.

The consecration was carried out by Presiding Bishop and Chief Consecrator Bishop Robert J. Gay, Co-Chief Consecrator Bishop Robert L. Gorham, and Bishop Joe N. Dixon, the homilist. Adjutant Generals Pastor Mary G. Worsley and Pastor Willie Johnson served as co-presiders of the consecration.

Bishop Ronald Gay is the oldest child of Deacon David C. Gay, Sr. and the late Mary Whitehurst Gay. He is the grandson of the late Pa Bob Gay and the late Lillie Parker Gay.

Bishop Ronald Gay is the pastor of Christ Deliverance Community (CDC) Unison Free Will Baptist Church in District Heights, MD.

Aniyah Michelle Dixon is the daughter and oldest child of the late Kia Gay, the granddaughter of Luie Dell Gay, the great grand daughter of Lucille Gay Blow, and the great great granddaughter of Pa Bob Gay and Lillie Parker Gay.

She is a 2022 graduate of JH Rose High School in Greenville, NC.
Aniyah aspires to become an elementary school teacher.

Meyah Barnes is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marion Barnes,Jr.; the granddaughter of Marion Barnes, Sr. and Edith Gay Barnes; the great granddaughter of Herman L. Gay and Dannie Ruth Dupree Gay; and the great great granddaughter of Pa Bob Gay and Ma Lillie Parker Gay.

Meyah is a 2022 graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, where she received a B.S. degree in Economics.

Meyah will be working at
Bank of America as an investment banking analyst in emerging growth and regional coverage sector.

Covid 19 cancelled the Gay-Parker Family Reunion for 2020 and 2021. This year the reunion will return.
In 2022, the reunion will be a virtual event held on July 2nd from 1:00 to 3:00.

Members of the Gay Parker Family have been recognized for releasing their first songs and albums. They have also been touted for publishing their first books and preaching their initial sermons. Josh Gay has added a “new first” among accomplishments by members of the Gay Parker family. Josh has just released his first film Two Birds and a Stone: a production in which he was writer, director and cinematographer.

Joshua “Josh” Gay, is the son of Gwendolyn Gay; the grandson of the late Lucille Gay Blow; and the great-grandson of the late Pa Bob Gay and the late Ma Lillie Parker Gay.

In this excerpt from his Linkedin.com essay about Two Birds and a Stone, Josh discusses completing the movie:

Watch Josh’s movie, Two Birds and a Stone

Two men in the GayParker Family enjoyed birthday parties for four score (80) and four score & seven (87) years of age. Herman Humorris Gay “Bro” turned 80, and David Clinton Gay, Sr. “Uncle Dave” turned 87.

Here’s your chance to have a few glimpses at both birthday parties through the photographs of Marion Barnes, a stalwart photographer of family and social events for many decades.

Herman “Bro” is the oldest son of Herman Gay and Dannie Ruth Dupree Gay and the oldest living grandson of Pa Bob Gay and Ma Lillie Parker Gay. Herman “Bro” celebrated his 80th birthday in March.

David “Uncle Dave” is the youngest child of Pa Bob Gay and Ma Lillie Parker Gay. Uncle Dave celebrated his 87th birthday in April.