Inell Gay

INELL GAY was born on July 25th, 1922 in Tuscaloosa Alabama to Isaac Joint Pruitt Gay unknown birth died in 1971 of a car accident in Pennsylvania and Mary Lee Clark Pruitt Gay Battle born on January 9th, 1893 in Tuscaloosa Alabama, and died in 1983 in St Louis Missouri of congestive heart failure.

Inell passed on August 4th, 2023, from complications of right-side breast cancer and CH and hypertension at Evelyn's House Hospice in Cree Coeur Missouri.

Inell was the 10th of 11 children. Clifton Gay, born April 2n, 1905, died in 1982 of meningitis in Tuscaloosa Alabama. Roy Gay, born December 21st, 1907, died in 2015 of pneumonia at Barnes Hospital in St Louis Missouri.
Virtile Lee Gay born December 22nd, 1908, in Tuscaloosa Alabama, died in 1966 in St. Louis Missouri of kidney failure related to untreated diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Houston Gay, born May 1st, 1911, in Tuscaloosa Alabama, died in Webster Groves Missouri of Alzheimer's complications in 2015. Forest Gay, born October the 2nd in Tuscaloosa Alabama 1913, died in November 2010 of leukemia. Ada Gay Thompson Davis McDonald, born November 1919, passed in 1991 of leukemia, she also had hypertension. Rose Gay Brown, born in Tuscaloosa Alabama, died in St. Louis Missouri of complications related to an accidental fall in the bathtub after hitting her head. James Gay Battle, the youngest sibling, born on January 25th, 1924, passed in December 2013 of complications related to Type I Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension.

Inell was educated at Washington Tech in St. Louis Missouri and attended the Ruth Taylor School of Beauty for Cosmetology. After graduating, she worked in cosmetology for the rest of her life, she worked up until a few weeks before her passing. She worked at Famous and Stix Baer and Fuller downtown SLM, at the Chase Park Plaza Salon, at Ardell's as a supervisor, and finally the last 40 years plus at Heritage House Salon.

Inell professed hope in Christ and was baptized at Christ Southern Mission Baptist Church. Her passion was in loving people and helping them live the best life they could. She enjoyed the casinos in St Louis and various other places in Kansas City where Sharon, her daughter lived for over 40 plus years before requesting that Sharon return to SLM to care for her aging brother Houston. Her parents and all 10 siblings, her son Vernon and dear family friends: Ms. Daisey Wilson and Mother Erma Blair of The Antioch Baptist Church, who also were family friends of Houston Gay and his wife Earnestine Gay who served as deacons at that same church all proceeded her in death.

Inell will be sorely missed by her many family members and Friends. She leaves behind her daughter Sharon Gay-Naik and her son-in-law Jeremie Sunda of the Democratic Republic of CONGO and his sister Kembi Mayuku and her children Elizabeth and Albert Mayuku now of Florissant Missouri. Jacqueline Oghina, her Goddaughter and her husband, Jason Warnell, Godson: parents of Jett and Jace, Yo and Sandra Smith, Goddaughters of SLM, Louise Vieger, Goddaughter of Kansas City Mo., Wanda Woods, Goddaughter of Kansas City Mo, Diane Thompson Goddaughter of SLM, Howard Berry of Kansas City one of her son's dearest friends who served with him in the US Army, whom she considered a son. She also leaves behind Terry and Justin sons of her granddaughter Michelle Gay, and Grandsons: Tyrone, Gerome, Brian, and Cedric, and their children, and precious nieces Olli Lee Eaton whose daughter Faith's son Jaden Nobel graduated from Morehouse; Inell was so proud of him, all of Temecula California, and Cleo Lewis whom she talked to almost every day of Tuscaloosa Alabama, Velma Tribble Gay of Jackson Ville Florida, and her daughter Iesha who, Mom was so proud of, as she recently became a pilot, vertie Gay of Rhode Island and DeLorise Gay of Dallas Texas, Yvette Battle Whom she always called when she needed immediate help of any kind. and Elaine Wellington and their mother Delores her sister-in-law of St Louis Missouri, Carol and Kenneth Turner of Tennessee, Jeanette Davis and her daughter Angelic, her great-niece, of Alaska, and her great-nephew Terry Davis and his spouse Margaret of Chicago I, who she spoke with often, and a host of other cousins' friends and persons precious to her including Dwain Everett her God son, who up to the end provided personal care encouraged her to eat and stay hydrated who said: "She always had an ear to listen she was the best God mom". Inell is also missed by her dear friends from Korea:
Mr. Jerry and Mrs. Kisun Andrews and family now of Shilo Illinois, Ricardo Williams, a friend who was like a son to her in the Parkview apartment complex who was able to celebrate her 101st birthday with her where she lived for forty years, as well as Mary Johnson, Thelma Hellems, her neighbors Sugar Hunter, and Pam Bush who made certain she had the food she liked and any transportation she needed, and Mr. Al Thomas who paid his last respects before Inell went to Evelyn's House Hospice where she passed. She is also missed by Dora Weber and a host of patrons at the Heritage House Beauty Salon.

She also celebrated her 101st birthday with Jackie, the mother of Jet, and Jace and their Grandma Sharon as they all sat with her on her hospital bed, in her apartment singing happy birthday. Their father Justin, whom she considered a son is from Arkansas. Jackie had worked through a nursing agency taking care of Inell years ago and she had also provided care for the two of her oldest living brothers: Houston and Roy. She is Sharon's daughter and Inells' granddaughter, from Kenya, her parents, in Kenya are blessed with her, and she is also our joy and gift in life. Inell received a last visit with her favorite social worker, Mr. Bosnic whom she thought the world of as he assisted the elderly in the Parkview Apartments where she thrived and lived for greater than 40 years.

Inell was diagnosed with right breast cancer around 2020. She had day surgery at 99 years of age and was home that evening to have an evening meal with her daughter. She was told by her surgeon she was cancer free, however; a small border of cancer went undetected, and it grew and metastasized to the point that oral medication was no longer effective in controlling it. She did not want to take radiation or chemotherapy. The cancer caused lytic lesions in her bones fracturing C2 in her neck then she had to wear a collar for protection but near the end, she told her daughter to remove it because God has her. She lost weight and weighed less than 68 Ibs. When she passed she smiled frequently before passing at Evelyn's House she had fresh-cut flowers in her room, and freshly baked cookies offered to family and friends who visited she prayed with Chaplin Greg who gave her an anointing with holy water from France, and she had a visit from a special pet: Teddy who, like Inell didn't look his age, to her room, she had a private concert performed by musician Caitlin Lee who played guitar and sang the Old Rugged Cross and other spirituals and a sunny tune of Stevie Wonder's as mom relaxed listening to the calming music it was like heaven was coming to meet her. Inell was surrounded by a community of great love and care before and during her transition. She saw many seasons and loved many people. May our Queen Mother Inell Rest in Peace. 

The entire family of Our Royal Queen Mother Inell extends our sincere appreciation to The Sisters of Charity, Express Home Care and Mrs. Shelton, Mrs. Forte, Ms. Jill, Mr. Steve, and staff, the BJC Hospice Team, and Evelyn's House, and to Ms. Barbara in 420, and each one that provided compassion, love empathy, cards, and prayers. May God continue to prosper and richly bless each of you.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands- O prosper the work of our hands! Psalm 90 17
And Still I Rise (Excerpt)
Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide Welling and swelling, I bear in the tide Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave.
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise
-Maya Angelou
It is Inells' motto: Put your trust in God, have all others pay cash, and always be kind to each other. She is rising out of pain and sorrow, please be joyful, she is rising to a better place.

Inell has left the Salon.

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