Rowena LeeOddis Gay

A Blessed Life

Mother Rowena Lee Oddis Floyd Gay was born February 26, 1927, in the home of her grandparents, Florida and Nannie Grant Strader in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was born to Bertha L. Strader of Indianapolis and Willie Charleston Floyd of Huntington, West Virginia. Rowena attended elementary school at Harriet Beecher Stowe School #64 and was a member of Crispus Attucks High School’s class of 1944. Her favorite subjects were English and History.

As a young adult, Rowena worked as an in-home sales representative and model for Madame C.J. Walker’s products. She also enjoyed dancing and frequenting popular Indiana Avenue dance clubs. 

She was a member of New Garfield Baptist Church under Reverend Charles Poole, where she served as a Sunday School Teacher, a Secretary and the Superintendent of Sunday School. Later Mother Rowena would join in ministry at Christ Church Apostolic under Bishop James E. Tyson, where she served as a Sunday School Teacher and Usher.

Rowena was employed by several city, state and federal agencies. She retired in 1989 from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

On December 2, 1967, Rowena was united in Holy Matrimony to Willie E. Gay. They shared a beautiful life together traveling both domestically and internationally.

Mother Rowena enjoyed attending bible study, reading, traveling and shopping. Her late husband would often say, “She is the most talkative woman I have ever met”.

Mother Rowena departed this life on February 16, 2023. She was 95 years old. She was preceded in death by her husband, Willie E. Gay, her youngest son, Larry Eugene Radford Sr. and her parents, Bertha L. Mukes and Willie C. Floyd.

She leaves to cherish her memories son, Glenn Anthony Sargent (Tony) and daughter, Cordelia La Donna Jones-Hill (Dee Dee), 16 grandchildren, a host of great-grandchildren, family, friends, and her Christ Church Apostolic Church family.