Gay Vance Israel, TSgt. USAF (Ret.)

Gay Vance Israel, 84, passed away on Friday, October 11, 2019 at the Charles George VA Medical Center.

A native of Leicester, Gay was a son of the late Robert Samuel and Nellie Carver Israel. He was also preceded in death by his wife of 62 years and sweetheart since the 4th grade, Shirley Ann Clark Israel, who passed in July; sisters, Louise Israel, Ellen Fisher, Reva Angel, and Sue Miller; and brothers, Fred, James, Frank, Robert and Charles Israel.

Mr. Israel proudly served his country in both the U.S. Air Force and Navy for a total of 20 years. He also served as Gideon for 10 years, helping 120 incarcerated individuals find Jesus through his prison ministry. Mr. Israel was a lifelong member of Newfound Baptist Church and assisted as their janitor for 14 years. In his spare time, he enjoyed woodworking and was very talented at it. He is dearly loved and will be forever missed by his family, his Leicester community, his fellow Gideons and his Newfound Baptist Church family.

Surviving are his daughters, Teresa Israel Hurley (Thil) and Patricia Israel Cook USAF (Ret.)(David); grandchildren, Jennifer West (Chad), Bethany Smith (John), and Jessica Cornett; and great-grandchildren, Trinity, August, Layla, Brooke, Julliana, Coco and Alexander.

The funeral service for Mr. Israel will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday at Newfound Baptist Church, with Pastors Bradley Johnson and Charles Phillips officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

His family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.

Memorials may be made to the Newfound Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 6, Leicester, NC 28748.

Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue is assisting the family.