Pauline Kemp Slappey Gay, 95, passed away on Tuesday, September 6, in Tallahassee, Florida surrounded by her devoted and loving family. Pauline was -- first, foremost and forever -- “all about family.”
Pauline and W. W. “Wes” Slappey, her first husband and father of her daughter, enjoyed living in various locations throughout the state as Wes advanced through the ranks of the Florida Highway Patrol. Ultimately, Pauline, who was a Gadsden County native, and her daughter settled permanently in Tallahassee where Pauline became Executive Director of the Records Department for the State of Florida’s Comptroller’s Office. It was then that she met and married E. L. Gay and they lived “happily ever after.” Pauline was an active member of East Hill Baptist Church, Tally Ho Bridge Club and numerous private bridge clubs. She was an avid gardener as well as a Civil War scholar and volunteer for a host of charitable organizations and renowned for “doing” crossword puzzles with a pen. Pauline was the Valedictorian of her high school class and a star basketball player. She was a graduate of Massey Business College in Jacksonville. However, her true passion was history.
She was preceded in death by husbands W. W. Slappey, E. L. Gay, her parents Ella and Bennett Kemp and her five siblings, Claudia Fryer, Julian Kemp, Leo Miley, Emma Hunt and Cecil Kemp. She is survived by her daughter Paula Fortunas (Tim Fortunas), grandchildren Angela Fortunas (Tim Shellabarger), James Fortunas (Jennifer Fortunas), nieces Carolyn Ellis (John Ellis), Emma Ray (Ted Ray) and Ella Jean Butler.
The “Friends of Nursing Fund,” Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation, 1331 East Sixth Avenue, Tallahassee, Florida 32303, has been designated as the recipient of memorial contributions.
The service for Pauline will be at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 8, at Culley’s MeadowWood Riggins Road Chapel with internment to follow at Roselawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends at 1:30 p.m. immediately prior to the service.
Arrangements are under the direction of Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home, Tallahassee, FL.
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