Justina "J. J." Grace Gay, 15, of Tifton died Friday, April 2, 2010, in Tifton. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm on Monday, April 5, 2010, at Oak Grove Baptist Church in Kelltown. Rev. Kevin Harris and Rev. Bill Hughes will officiate with burial to follow in Eureka Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Irwin County. Chad Mathis, Brad Mathis, Matthew Fralick, Stephen Clements, Kenneth Fralick and Carl Nichols will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be members of Tift County FFA. The family will receive friends on Sunday, April 4, 2010, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Ms. Gay was born on November 29, 1994, in Tift County and was the daughter of Donnie Gay and Nina Steverson, both of Tifton. She was a student at Eighth Street Middle School, where she was a member of FFA and showed livestock. She was also a member of the Eighth Street Middle School Band. She was a member of Oak Grove Baptist and she participated in youth programs at First Baptist Church. She loved her animals, loved being in the woods hunting and fishing and she loved all outdoor activities. She was also very artistic.
In addition to her parents, Ms. Gay is survived by her step-mother, Lora Gay of Tifton, two brothers, Kenneth Frederick of Tifton and Michael Frederick of Holt, Missouri; two sisters, Leah Elizabeth Gay of Tifton and Heather Steverson of Ray City; two step-sisters, Cindy Steverson of Hahira and Catherine Frederick of Holt, Missouri; maternal grandparents, Pete and Ann Mathis of Tifton; paternal grandparents, Larry and Ruby Nell Gay of Tifton; her great grandmother, Exie Mae Gay of Tifton; aunts and uncles, Dawn and Joe Robinson and Jamie Gay; and six cousins, Eric Robinson, Justin Robinson, Andy Hanson, Eli Robinson, Taylor Gay and Kelcie Gay.