Gay received her Bachelors Degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in Home Economics. A long time Kearney resident, she worked as real estate agent for twenty eight years. She has always had a love of clothes, sewing and art which morphed into costume design and construction. She has designed costumes for more than forty productions at Kearney Community Theatre. She has also volunteered her time for countless productions at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Omaha Community Playhouse, and touring productions at the Viero Event Center. Most recently she designed the costumes for Godspell and Little Shop of Horrors produced by Crane River Theater. Since retiring, she enjoys spending time with her family, playing bridge, reading, cooking and traveling.