Obituary of Gay Gaston

August 28, 1941 — February 19, 2026

Kathryn Gay Gaston, 84, of Jasper passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 19, 2026 in Giddings, Texas.

Kathryn Gay (“Gay” to all her friends) was born on August 28, 1941 in Port Arthur, Texas to Walter Guy and Adele Mabey Whitfield. She grew up in the fifties, and she regularly had get togethers at her house on Pt. Neches Drive where she and her friends would sit right up close to the television to watch Elvis.

She was a graduate of Port Neches-Groves High School, class of 1959, where she was a proud member of the Indianettes drill team. In fact, she could still recite the Port Neches Groves fight song on demand.

After graduation, she attended Lamar University where she was a Delta Zeta sorority member. She was involved in many aspects of college life and held leadership positions in the sorority. She was an official member of Delta Zeta for over 65 years, and she was always proud of those connections.

Gay graduated from Lamar in true “Gay Gaston perfectionist form” in three years, and because she was so young, she couldn’t get a job in public education; she went to work at the Little Flower of Jesus Catholic School teaching elementary. She often told stories about those times, and in true form, she could still recite the Hail Mary Prayer.

But Gay didn’t stop with an undergrad degree. She was a lifelong learner. She went on to seek her master’s degree at Stephen F. Austin State University, where she studied Speech and Theatre. She also met her husband of 48 years, Bill, while there. They were married in the Frank C Smith Methodist Church in Alto, Texas on June 2, 1967.

She and Bill moved to Jasper in 1972, where they raised their family. Kathy Ann was born in October of 1969 and William Guy was born in July of 1976. They were long time active members of the First United Methodist Church in Jasper. She and Bill taught all over East Texas, and she was the quintessential coach’s wife, packing up Kathy and William Guy and traveling to most basketball games around the area, keeping the books for the games, and serving as cheerleading sponsor.

She did all of this while serving as yearbook sponsor and teaching full time English, History, Theatre, Speech, and Gifted and Talented Education throughout those years.

Not only that, but in later years, she was involved in community theatre, and her family would travel all over East Texas to see her in a variety of plays.

Needless to say, she was always the life of the party and loved acting. To Gay, Shakespeare had it right when he said, “All the world’s a stage.”

Overall, she taught for over 45 years prior to finally fully retiring from education. She retired and rehired twice because she loved it so much. She taught in several school districts throughout those years including Port Neches, Alto, Laneville, Burkeville, Brookeland, Zavalla, and Nederland.

Gay was so proud of her five grandchildren, and she spent a lot of time making things special for them. She bought the series Hallmark Christmas ornaments every year for her children, their spouses, and the grandchildren. In the summer time, the grandkids would build forts in the middle of her living room, and Lake Tejas was a regular outing. She even let them clean and cook squirrels in her kitchen. She was happiest when the grandkids were with her.

Gay will be remembered as someone who loved life and would do anything for her family, friends, and students. She was known as a “firecracker” who always stood up for what’s right. Gay didn’t care who you were or where you came from. If you treated people right, she was your friend through thick and thin. She is survived by her daughter Kathy Gaston D’Amico and husband Giuseppe of Smithville; son William Guy Gaston & wife Cory of Jasper; as well as grandchildren Bryce & wife Abigail Gaston, Logan Gaston, Paige Gaston, Luigi D’Amico, and Lucca D’Amico. She is preceded in death by her husband Bill Gaston. Condolences can be posted at www.shultzfuneralhomeofjasper.com, on Facebook at Shultz Funeral Home & Crematory, or on Instagram at Shultzfh.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at First Methodist Church in Jasper. The family will greet friends in Frank Ealand Hall at the First Methodist Church from 9:00 until service time. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Special Note: Gay grew up attending Lakeview Methodist Church Camp in Palestine, Tx. She loved the camp and continued going back as a counselor for many years. Her children and grandchildren also attended. She often said that Lakeview was the specific place where she first knew she was saved while they played “Living for Jesus.”

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to:

Lakeview Methodist Conference Center- 400 Private Road 6036, Palestine 75801 https://www.iheartlakeview.org/impact