Isle of Wight County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Gay, C. Rufus, 1938 

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Young Boy Killed When Truck Turns Over In County 

Rufus Gay, 16, Killed Suddenly 

STEERING GEAR LOCKS ROUNDING CURVE NEAR OLD WHITHEAD HOME 

  Tragedy again Saturday night visited the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Gay, 
who live in Nansemond County an Rt. 4 near Zuni, taking the life of their son, 
Rufus, aged 16. 

  Rufus Gay was a member of a party of young men and boys riding in a truck 
driven by Herbert Floyd Gay, of Driver, also aged 16, when on a side road 
between Longview in Isle of Wight County and the Suffolk-Smithfield Highway 
at 11 o'clock Saturday night, the truck failed to make the curve and turned 
over, crushing Rufus Gay and causing almost instant death. 

  Johnny Griggs, 15, of Windsor sustained serious injuries and is now under 
treatment at Lakeview Hospital for a fractured shoulder, cuts, bruises and 
shock. 

  Other members of the party were Oliver Stanley of Smithfield, 16; Clyde 
Griggs, of Windsor, 21, and Richard Griggs, of Myrtle, 32, who escaped with 
slight injuries. 

  According to the account given by Herbert Gay, the steering gear of the 
truck locked and the vehicle failed to round the curve, causing the accident. 

  Rufus Gay sustained a crushed chest and internal injuries. 

  The accident was investigated by State Traffic Officer Hubbard of Suffolk 
and the body was viewed by Dr. Rea Parker, coroner of Smithfield. 

Three Burned to Death 

  Rufus Gay was a member of a family who a few years ago were victims of a 
tragedy which claimed three members, two daughters and a grandchild, Mrs. 
Lucille Gay Pittman, her infant child and Miss Ellen [sic; Elsie] Gay having 
been burned to death in the home at Zuni. 

  Rufus Gay is survived bv his parents Mr. and Mrs. Clarence H. Gay; a sister, 
Miss Ethel Gay; four brothers, Silas Mack, Homer, B.D. and Milton R. Gay, all 
of Nansemond County, and several aunts and uncles. 

  The body was taken to the funeral home of I.O. Hill & Co., and funeral 
services were conducted at 3:30 o'clock by the Rev. H.C. Crutchfield, assisted 
by the Rev. R.P. Downey, at Antioch Christian Church.  Burial was in the 
church cemetery. 


Clarence Rufus GAY, truck driver, 
son of Clarence Homer & Odie Blanche (GRIGGS) GAY, 
b. 22 Jun 1921, Isle of Wight Co., 
killed in wreck 19 Feb 1938, near Longview, 
interred in Antioch Christian Church Cemetery*, near Windsor, 
"Smithfield (VA) Times," Vol. 18, No. 48, Thurs., Feb. 24, 1938, p. 1 

*Additional information: 

Antioch list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society 
   {SCHS} Cemetery Project: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/cemeteries/antioch.txt 

Unmarked; not on: 
   Isle of Wight County Historical Society {IWCHS} 
   Grave Site Survey Task Force {GSSTF} report #20: 
   http://www.iwchs.com/Cemetery-Reports.html 

No Find a Grave Memorial 

His parents are also buried there, unmarked.  His widowed mother 
   2m. John Cornelius DIXON. 

Birthdate &c, from D.Cert. 4278 (Newport #6). 

Articles ("Suffolk News-Herald" & "Smithfield Times," Dec. 1933) 
   on the fire that killed his sisters & nephew are posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/obits/p355l1ob.txt 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Carolyn Keen (VAHistoricHouses@aol.com) & 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager Matt Harris. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/obits/g000r3ob.txt