Gertrude "Gay" Ludlow [nee Holmes], age 98 Gay Ludlow, a feisty, spirited but sweet little lady with a quick wit, died peacefully after a brief illness, at her home in East Montpelier, Vermont, on August 29, 2014. Gay was born on December 6, 1915, in Jersey City, New Jersey, one of nine children. She often spoke of her happy childhood and her good, kind parents. She said that the family would regularly gather around the player piano after supper to sing songs together. Gay was quite athletic in her youth, playing tennis and dancing. She was born with a serious and painful orthopedic condition and recalled being told that she would someday be wheelchair-bound. However, she didn't let that stop her, and she continued dancing into her 80s. She was employed as a telephone operator at Bell Telephone, a position she left to be a full-time mom and homemaker after her marriage in 1954 to Arty Ludlow. They lived happily for 20 years in Great Kills, Staten Island, New York, Arty's home town. Gay was active in the Girl Scouts and in her local church, as well as the American Legion. After Arty retired, they moved to Lakehurst, New Jersey, where they lived for the next 30 years, doing many good deeds. They were very active in several of their local American Legion posts, with Gay holding various offices in the ladies auxiliary. As members of these groups, they helped disabled veterans and organized many charitable events. They were also active in their local Catholic church. They spent summers hosting and enjoying their grandson Collin, who says they were a rock of stability and fun in his formative years. He will be forever thankful for their love and companionship. In 2009, after living independently until age 93, Gay moved to Vermont with Arty, to live with their daughter and her partner. Their last years were good ones. Although Gay missed Arty terribly after his death in 2011, her rapier wit and rapid one-liners remained as intact as ever. She had quite a "fan club" of folks who visited her and enjoyed her company. Happy to have her join them in heaven are her beloved husband, Arty, her parents, Wally and Mamie Holmes, her sisters Betty, Ann, Mae, Rose, Dot and Ronnie, her brothers Tom and Walter, and a daughter who died at birth, Kathy Beth. Remembering her fondly here on earth are her daughter Maryann and her partner Donia, her much-loved grandson Collin, and many, many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews who got to spend time with and enjoy Gay and Arty while they were growing up. The family wishes to express deep appreciation to Central Vermont Hospital, Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, and to the friends and caregivers who became Gay's extended Vermont family, especially Peter Cairney, Deborah Packard, Sara Packard MD, Linda Birkenbach, and Lynn McClintock. Gay will be waked from 9-11 a.m.,Saturday, September 6th, at Guare and Sons Funeral Home, 30 School St, Montpelier, with a Funeral Mass to follow at 11:30 a.m., at St Augustine Church, 16 Barre St, Montpelier. Interment will be on Tuesday, Sept 9th, at 9:30 a.m., at Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Randolph Center, Vermont. In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to a charity that is close to your heart.