Minister Derrick Columbus Gay

In the beginning, God released a spiritual being from Heaven to come live a natural experience in the Earth ream. So God, The Triune Being, in keeping with The Trinity, chose The Third Tuesday, The Twelfth Month, and The Seventeenth Day, in The Year 1957, to release The First of what would be The Magnificent 8, a phrase coined by the mother, in the fullness of time. His name would be called Derrick Columbus Gay - Magnificent One. He was born to the parentage of Morris Alexander and Ola Mae Harris-Gay. The eldest of eight children born and bestowed unto this utterly divine union between two beings. After initially living in Fort Lauderdale for a short period of time, the family relocated to the City of Pompano Beach, Florida. Derrick was born and, ultimately, reared in the City of Pompano Beach, Florida. Initially, Derrick’s first babysitters were his maternal great-grandmother Addie Rozier, his gran-aunt Lillian Rozier-McGill, and his maternal cousin, Willie Bell Rozier. After that he went to Antioch’s Daycare under the directorship of Sister Cora Lee Amerson. As a lad, Derrick joined Antioch Baptist Church under the pastorate of Reverend J.A. Latham. As children, The Magnificent 8 went to church ever time the doors opened. Derrick was involved in Red Circle, The Sunshine Band, Sunday School, and the Youth Choir. As a teenager, he was a member of the Young Adult Choir, along with members, with whom he has maintained lifetime relationships. Derrick’s formal matriculation commenced in the Broward County Public School System at Sanders Park Elementary. At Sanders Park, the teachers discovered how gifted Derrick was academically, and athletically. Derrick was able to follow directions well. As a result, his teacher and others would sent him on errands because they knew he would do exactly as he was told to do and return with items they sent for, even barbecue rib sandwiches! The Principal never caught him all the days he would leave the campus to purchase the sundries that some teachers would send him for from the local Barbecue Rib Man and from Georgia’s Grocery Store. Then some years later, Ola and The Magnificent 8 relocated, putting them in the Charles Drew Elementary School boundaries, which Derrick was now required to attend. He adamantly opposed to being bussed outside of his city to attend school in Margate, so he contrived a plan. As soon as his Uncle Elijah went off to college, Derrick moved with his maternal grandparents, Elijah, Sr. and Susie Mae Harris. This afforded him the opportunity to return back to Sanders Park Elementary School and finish out his sixth grade year. In seventh grade, Derrick attended Blanche Ely High School. His class was the last class to matriculate at Blanche Ely High. Derrick enjoyed singing, his lifelong song was “What a Friend”, as he was a friend to the friendless. He embodied Pompano Beach, Florida, and loved everyone with whom he made contact. He would walk and ride and make friends wherever he would go. No one was exempt from being graced with a smile, a hug, a joke, a scripture, or simply a warm gesture once they encountered Derrick. He was his brother’s keeper. Derrick always loved to have fun. As a result, a lot of people were very drawn to him. As a high school teenager, Derrick, and his friends, that are too numerous to mention, loved hanging out at each other’s homes. They would always be sitting around laughing and clowning and saying stuff about what they were not afraid of. These memories are indelibly etched in the minds of The Magnificent 8. Derrick has always been a precocious child since birth. His dream was to always become a Nuclear Physicist, but he could not be still long enough for teachers to learn the formulas; however, he knew them. Derrick was so intelligent that he would reap the benefits of disciple because he did things his way, learning and all. From approximately 11 years of age, Derrick seemed exceptionally enamored with mortuary sciences, as he would, oftentimes, hang out at Freeman Funeral Home, even though Morris had admonished him many times before not to be “Going up there and hanging out at that funeral home!” He proclivities and penchants for all things academia compelled him to take the SAT three months prior to commencement exercises of Coconut Creek High in 1975. Derrick’s remarkable score on the SAT, coupled with the Entrance Exam results, qualified him to further his studies at Miami Dade College’s School of Mortuary Science. How divinely befitting it was for Derrick to pursue learning theory behind Mortuary Science. For many years of his life, he served the Tri-County area, he was employed by Mr. Richard Macon of Freeman Funeral Home. He served in capacity of Funeral Director Assistant at Aikens Funeral Home in Tampa. Most recently, Derrick worked with Mr. Woodrow J. Poitier and the staff of LC Poitier Funeral Home, as Chaplain. Derrick was extremely passionate about the Ministry of Grief and Caregiving, that afforded him the opportunity to minister to those grieving in not only Florida but in other states as well. In 1994, Derrick preached his trial sermon and was ordained a minister under the tutelage and leadership of the late Dr. Winston Rudolph of Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church. Derrick served as Executive Director of the Guiding Light Foundation in 1995-2000. During his tenure, Derrick trained and prepared ex-convicts for re-entry into society. Derrick also managed all day to day facility activities and led daily devotion and weekly Bible Study. Aside from his directorship, Derrick was an avid student of God’s Word and began his Biblical Studies, attending Knox Seminary (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida), as well as the Moody Bible Institute (Chicago, IL). Derrick attained multiple degrees, including Bachelor of Religious Arts in Biblical Studies; Master of Religious Arts in Christian Counseling; and Doctor of Theology, which he earned in 2002 at Jacksonville Theological Seminary (Jacksonville, FL). In 2003, Derrick was ordained by the Clergyman Council of Pompano Beach under the leadership of the late, Dr. Percy M. Dixon. Derrick’s admiration for his mother was incomparable, inseparable, and eternal. In fact, if the question of who was mama’s most favorite child ever came up, Derrick would immediately retort, “You crazy! If it wuh’n for me, she wood’n’ve knowed she was a woman!” He was, arguably, one of his mother’s most favorites human beings. Without a doubt, Derrick and his mother’s relationship with one another shaped his mind, heart, and hands towards others. Derrick loved people, he loved music and oh did he love singing. On any given Saturday Derrick would be found singing at someone’s church for someone’s funeral. Derrick was blessed to record “THE DERRICK GAY PROJECT” with some of his favorite songs such as “Won’t It Grand”, “The Lord Will Make a Way”, “When the Gates Swing Open” just to name a few. After enduring ephemeral challenges in his health, Dr. Derrick C. Gay “gave up the ghost,” accomplishing all missions that he was divinely designed and purposed to accomplish. On Friday, October 16, 2020, the Son of Pompano, Florida answered the Master’s Call. He is preceded in death by his father, Morris A. Gay; four uncles: Edward L. Gay, Walter J. Gay, Odell Rice, and Robert Rice; four aunts, Euvonia Gay-Jackson, Lillian McGill, Ola Fluellen, and Victoria Rozier. Those who must now continue the mission and ministries of help that Dr. Derrick Columbus Gay was so passionate about are: His number one cheerleader and backer, Ola M. Gay-Jones; his namesake and first born son, Derrick Columbus Gay, II, his son, Devin Wilkerson (Tanyka), and his daughter, Lateshia Darby; siblings: Cyneria Howard, Brue Alexander Gay, Lillian Fields (Donald), Altamese Gay- Carter (Melvin), Vanetta Gay, Gerard Mineo Gay, and Schonta Gay-Randolph (Guy) and the Rice Siblings; granddaughter, Devo’ntria Wilkerson, one grandson, Herrington Amir Gay, and Baby Girl Darby due Spring of 2021; Godparents: Mama Rose Jackson, Deacon and Mother Stevens; seven uncles: Charles Gay, George Gay (Earline), Elijah Harris, Jr., Leroy Heath (Stella), Willie Heath (Karen), Jimmie Heath (Jean), Herman Heath (Pat); five aunts, Ora Gay-Robinson (Roscoe), Ophelia Heath, Earnestine Austin, Annie Thelma Gay, and Rosa Lee Rice; special friend to the end, Ms. Dianna Williams and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Minister Derrick Columbus Gay

December 17, 1957 - October 16, 2020