Clarence “Buck” Chesterfield Gay Jr.

Clarence Chesterfield “Buck” Gay Jr died on August 20, 2020 in Houston Texas. Buck was born in Fort Worth, Texas on December 20, 1933 to Clarence Chesterfield (“Deacon”) Gay and Nina Almedia Neely and grew up in Fort Worth along with his sister Carol and brother David, attending Carter Riverside High School. He was the first in his family to attend college, earning a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from Texas A&M College in 1955, where he was a proud member of the Corp of Cadets. While attending A&M he met Flo Ann Noack on a blind date at an Aggie football game and the two married on August 14, 1954.

After a brief stint with Lockheed in Los Angeles, California, in May 1956 he went into the US Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant to fulfill his service commitment and began training as a pilot (his dream job) at bases in San Antonio, Texas and Kinston, NC. He was enamored with airplanes all his life and when his dream of flying jets was lost due to a reaction to a flu shot, he focused on designing aircraft and landed in Research & Development at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton Ohio where he was a Project Engineer in the Analysis and Design Branch of the Dynasoar System Engineering Office. In 1962 he was hired by NASA and joined the fledgling effort to put men on the moon by the end of the decade. In 1963, Buck moved Ann and his family to Virginia and began work on the Gemini program at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C. He continued working there until 1971, receiving the NASA Exceptional Service Award in 1969 for his contributions to the Apollo 11 moon landing. His final years in D.C. were as Director of Space Shuttle Operations, overseeing the development of flight programs, operational requirements, and preflight testing. In 1971, he transferred to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas where he was responsible for the JSC Shuttle Operations Budget and planning and preparation of space shuttle landing sites in the US and emergency sites in Dakar, Senegal, Spain and Okinawa. A personal thrill was heading a spectacular landing of STS-3 at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. In 1984, he retired from NASA and worked until 1991 for Eagle Engineering, Grumman, and Muniz Engineering, participating in the joint US and Russia spaceflight program and development of the manned space station.

In addition to his fascinating career he led a rich, full life. He was the proud patriarch of a family that included 6 children, 15 grandchildren and 9 great grand kids. To all he was known as Papaw, and he delighted in the large family gatherings on holidays, major achievements, and reunions each year at Surfside Beach.

He traveled extensively, making it to the Pyramids in Egypt, the heart of the Amazon, the Great Wall of China, around the horn in South America, and saw the Serengeti in Africa from a hot air balloon.

He loved hunting and fishing and passed his passion for fly fishing to his children and grandchildren. He taught all his sons and grandsons about sporting guns and introduced them to duck, geese and dove hunting. A highlight of each year for him was an annual fly-fishing trip to some of the top US destinations in Montana, Idaho, Alaska, and Wyoming. While raising his children he served as a scoutmaster, little league coach and umpire, and Pony Colt League President.

He loved adventure and pursued challenging hobbies including flying single engine airplanes and gliders, racing sailboats, and scuba diving. In celebration of his 75th birthday he went skydiving. Not content to merely enjoy these activities, he excelled, learning to fly acrobatics, becoming a gliding instructor, and served as Commodore of the Galveston Bay Cruising Association (GBCA) and was a frequent race champion – thanks to a dedicated crew of close friends.

As his working career wound down, he filled his time by volunteering in the community, serving on the Nassau Bay Parks Committee, and co-chaired the restoration of the Nassau Bay Peninsula and its establishment as a wildlife preserve. He also served on the CCISD Education Committee and was the photographer for Nassau Bay City Council meetings.

He was extremely proud to have worked with the Bay Area Habitat for Humanity for nearly 25 years, helping build over 100 houses for needy families before finally hanging up his tool belt at the age of 84. He greatly valued the many close friendships he developed during his tenure.

He was a member of St Paul’s Catholic Church in Nassau Bay since 1971 and was a Eucharistic Minister for 30 years. He was also active in the Knights of Columbus where he served as Grand Knight for 2 years. Each 4th of July he stayed up nearly all night helping to prepare barbeque for their primary fundraiser.

He was preceded in death by his parents Nina and Deacon, and his sister Carol Lynn Lawson and is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years Ann, brother David Conrad Gay, sons Richard Lee Gay, Ronald Lynn Gay, Robert Glen Gay, and Randall Lawson Gay and daughters Linda Gay Dunk and Laurie Gay Vaughn.

Please contact the family at buckfuneral@sbcglobal.net for funeral details. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider a donation to the Bay Area Habitat for Humanity or the Alzheimer’s Association Houston and Southeast Texas Chapter.

16 comments

  1. Buck and I worked on a special project for Shuttle during the early design phase. We supplied the Program Manager with results from our analysis whether to add an Apollo Command Module to the Shuttle Cargo Bay during the early flights so a
    return to earth could be made by the Crew if the Shuttle de-orbit system failed.
    Buck walked around Nassau Bay a lot and I was able to greet him when our walking paths met. Lately, I saw him walking a lot at Howard Ward Park. He was a great man and I will miss meeting him during my daily walks.

    Garland Bauch
  2. During the early design phase of Shuttle, Buck and I worked on an analysis for the Program Manager to determine whether an Apollo Command Module could be placed in the Shuttle Cargo Bay so the Shuttle Crew could return to Earth if the Shuttle de-orbit system failed. Buck walked a lot around Nassau Bay and our paths crossed periodically during my walks. Lately, I saw him a lot walking in Howard Ward Park. He was a great man and I will miss talking with him during my walks.

    Garland Bauch
  3. I knew Buck at work. Glad to read what a great personal life he had.

    Daniel Pattie
  4. Dear Brother Knight and Sir Knight Buck I will miss you. My prayers to you and your family.

    Joe Kramer
  5. Our condolences.

    Antonio Ramirez Murillo
  6. It was a pleasure and honor to work with Buck as a volunteer on the Nassau Bay Parks Committee. Buck led the major effort to restore the Nassau Bay Peninsula to a wildlife area with a walking path, which is a great asset to the City. Today, the Peninsula is enjoyed by both residents and visitors. Buck’s vision and efforts have benefited many people and demonstrated his love for the outdoors.

    I fondly remember Buck making his almost daily 6 mile walks around the City, which always ended with a stop at Starbucks. More recently, Buck limited his walks to Howard Ward Park.

    Buck contributed much to the City and will be missed.

    Roscoe Lee
  7. Buck was a great friend and colleague at NASA, at the glider port as he towed me into the sky, and later on as a straw boss at the Habitat jobs. He was a fine person and it was really nice to share parts of my life with him. I will miss him.

    Don Teegarden
  8. With Buck’s passing, there are now some big empty boots to fill in Nassau Bay. As I knew him, he was happy, friendly, observant, helpful, cooperative, respectful, thoughtful … a true gentle man. I will miss Buck at dinners [he loved to eat!], in his uniform in the 4th of July parade, serving wine at his home, and supervising the Fish Fry during Lent at St. Paul’s. To be so small, Buck was a giant of a man.

    JOYCE MAYOR
  9. Buck was a very nice and interesting guy. He and Ann were my and my Ann’s neighbor a few blocks away in Nassau Bay. He and I worked together on a few projects when we both worked for Eagle Engineering. I got to know him best when we traveled together on a consulting task in Phoenix, Arizona. I will miss conversations with him very much. I last saw him about a week ago walking-I am really sad I didn’t stop to visit with him.

    Bill Davidson
  10. Ann: It sounds like Buck had a life well lived. I am so very sorry for your loss.

    Tricia Bradbury
  11. Uncle Buck;
    I know we didn’t see each other as much as we should have once all of us kids were grown. I know in my heart that you are at peace and are with your mom, dad, and sister and that we will see you again. You were truly an amazing man and will be missed by many.

    Forever in our Hearts;

    Love you;
    Kathy Lynn

    Kathy Lynn Petty
  12. I have so many wonderful memories of this man and his family. I first met Buck at Thanksgiving dinner 1979, about six weeks after I met Linda. It took me a while to adjust to this loud, outspoken family, but Buck and Ann always included me as family from the beginning. After I lost both of my parents in 2013, they lovingly filled in the gap, and they will always be my favorite parents-in-law 🙂

    Lots of great memories sailing with Captain Buck.

    One of the highlights for me was being able to go skydiving with him for his 75th birthday!

    His legacy of honesty, service, faith, and love will live on through his wonderful family. I pray that all members of his family find comfort and peace.

    Mark Dunk
  13. Please receive our condolences. I will personally miss his welcoming smile, and his little wink when placing some special suitcase in the trunk of my car on the way to garden conventions. Hugs of support to you Ann.

    MADELEINE ROGERS
  14. What a wonderful and successful life Buck has lived! Our prayers are with the Gay family.

    Holly Bishop
  15. I enjoyed being mr,gay’s secretary. A fine thoughtful gentleman. He will be missed….dorthy Hanovice 2020

    Dorthy hanovice
  16. I worked as Mr. Gay’s secretary at NASA Hq. during the Apollo Program and on into the Space Shuttle Program. It certainly looks as though he had a varied and fulfilling life. I am sorry to see that he has passed away. Beverly Lynch

    beverly lynch

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