Gay Orr

GAY ORR

Gretchen “Gay” Ann Schlueter Orr, age 76, of Columbus, MS, passed away Wednesday, February 5, 2020, at Baptist Memorial Hospital.  Funeral services will be Monday, February 10, 2020, at 11:00 AM at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with Rev. Jason Shelby officiating.  The interment will immediately follow at Friendship Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 10:00 AM until the time of the service at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.  Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral Home & Crematory 903 College St. location is in charge of arrangements.

Gay was born June 23, 1943, in South Bend, IN, to the late Mary Frances Ferguson Schlueter and Robert Glenn Schlueter.  She grew up in Davenport, IA and attended the University of Iowa.  Gay retired after 20 years at BancorpSouth as a mortgage loan underwriter.  She was a member of the Northwood Garden Club and served as its 1rst and 50 ^th President.  She was a Life Member of Columbus Junior Auxiliary and was very active and involved with the Columbus Swim Team for 25 years.  Gay also enjoyed and looked forward to her Continental Gin and Mahjong games.

Gay was a lung transplant recipient and celebrated 11 years of healthy life, and therefore was a strong advocate of Organ Donation and encouraged everyone to become a donor.  In her words, “It’s a wonderful gift to both give and receive.”  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Jefferson Patrick Orr, and brother, Peter Schlueter.

Survivors include her husband of 55 years, Gordon Neil Orr, sons, David Michael Orr and his wife Laura, and Andrew Charles Orr and his wife Angela, and grandchildren, Emma Reed Orr and Andrew Charles Orr, Jr.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Blair, Don Calloway, Frank Howell, Charles Jourdan, Jim Mauldin, Doug Phillips, Mark Smith, and Jay Sutton.

Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 318 College St., Columbus, MS, 39701, or UAB Transplant Patient Assistance Fund, 619 19 ^th St. South, J. T. 1125, Birmingham, AL, 35249