Lewis "Leon" Gay
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 5A Death Notice - July 27, 2017
Lewis “Leon” Gay, 82, Grand Junction, died July 25, 2017, at
Mesa Manor.
Services will take place at 11 a.m. Aug. 5 at Martin Mortuary.
He was an aeronautical engineer.
Survivors include one son, Darrell Callison of Gaylord, Michigan;
one daughter, Lesli Tigert of Grand Junction; one brother,
Lynn Gay of Lake George; and one grandchild.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 3D Obituary - July 30, 2017
Lewis “Leon” Gay, 82, was
born on June 6th, 1935, to
Leo and Lois Gay in Joes,
Colorado. They moved to
Denver, Colorado when Leon
was still a baby. Later he had
the responsibility of taking
care of his two younger
brothers while their father was
at war. He wrestled in high
school and graduated from
West High School in Denver. He then joined the army where he
served for two years in the Army Corps of Engineers stationed
at the Panama Canal. He used the GI Bill to go to college at the
University of Colorado. He graduated with a BS degree in
Aeronautical Engineering in 1961.
Leon was employed by Beech Aircraft. He worked in their
division that was involved with the space program. He designed
cryogenic systems as well many other systems throughout his
career to help support the Space Program. He worked with the
Gemini, Apollo, and Shuttle Programs. He loved to mention that
he helped put man on the moon. Later he was employed by Ball
Aerospace before he retired. He then bought into Buckboard
Marina on Flaming Gorge Reservoir. He was the engineer on
hand so that they could expand and put in their campground.
Leon’s dream was to fish everyday while there, but he worked
entirely too hard for that to happen. He did enjoy all the people
that he helped while working the docks and gas pumps.
Leon loved people, especially family. He was an excellent
gunsmith and would spend hours at a time creating beautiful
ornate gunstocks. He, of course, loved fishing and taking people
out on his boat. He enjoyed hunting, archery, playing pool,
going to CU and Bronco games, and having a beer (or two) with
his pals from Beech. He had a very artistic side and loved
playing his mandolin and then the banjo. A lot of the time his
songs sounded like “Ol’ Susanna” no matter what he was
playing but that’s ok.
He is survived by his brother, Lynn (Kathy) Gay; son, Darrell
(Linda) Callison; grandchildren, Ellie and Ian Callison;
daughter, Lesli (Danny) Tigert; granddaughter, Rebecca Tigert;
daughter, Mindy Zahner; granddaughter, Madison Kittleson;
daughters, Lori and Michelle from his first marriage to JoAnn
Left; his wonderful nephews and their wives and children. Leon
also had been married to Ginger Watson and then Connie Gay.
Leon was preceded in death by his parents, Leo and Lois;
brother, Larry, and son, Billy Callison.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Martin Mortuary in
Grand Junction on August 5th at 11:00 a.m. Family has
requested casual western attire to honor Leon.
