Sara "Helen" Gay

Sara “Helen” Prickett Gay

Matthews, GA –          Sara “Helen” Prickett Gay, 74, loving wife to the late Jimmie Terrell Gay, peacefully entered into her eternal rest Thursday morning, August 26, 2021 at Augusta University. Funeral services to celebrate her life will be held in the James Funeral Home Chapel at 2:00 P.M. Monday afternoon, August 30, 2021 with Reverend Ed Chance officiating.  Interment will follow in the Mt. Moriah Church Cemetery.

Because of the family’s respect and concern for public health and safety during this COVID-19 pandemic, the family requests that social distancing and other safety precautions be followed.  The wearing of face masks is strongly encouraged during any gathering.

One of three born to the late Liza Mae Arrington Prickett and the late Juddie Wilson Prickett, Helen was a lifelong resident of Matthews. She quit school to help support the family and got married at the age of 17. After suffering the loss of their daughter in 1974, Helen did not have any other children but helped raise her nieces who considered her to be their second mama. She was a homemaker, making sure the home was a clean, safe environment for her family. She worked in the laundry department at Keysville Nursing Home after her beloved husband died in 1998. After her health decline in 2014, she moved in with her great-niece and tried to help out in the household as much as she could. Helen loved to fish and do crossword puzzles while watching her favorite TV shows—Little House on the Prairie and Gunsmoke. She loved to read anything she could get her hands on including the grand’s text books.  Helen has been described as being a determined, independent person who never complained no matter what she was going through physically or emotionally and was everyone’s rock.  She lived for everybody else—she was mother to everyone—especially her great-great niece and great-great nephews who she considered as her own grandchildren. A happy, content person, people, especially children, would just naturally gravitate to her.  Her faith sustained her through her many hardships in life and she found the peace, comfort and contentment through that faith in her Lord and Savior.  Helen’s desire was to go home—her Heavenly home—and she was ready and willing to leave this world when she closed her eyes for the last time here on this earth.

Helen was also preceded in death by her daughter, Sara Ann Gay; brother, Rufus Prickett; and two niece, Jenny Gonsalves and Tracie Coleman. She is survived by her great-nieces—her “adopted” kids—Amy M. Coleman (Reina) and Pamela Wilson (Ronnie); great-great niece—“granddaughter”, Erin Wilson; great-great nephews—“grandsons”, Skyler Brown, Jayden Wilson and Jorden Wilson; sister, Rosemary Burke; nieces, Debra Coleman and Donna Johnson; nephews, Michael Burke and Jeffrey Burke; many other nieces, nephews and loved ones. Pallbearers will be Amy Coleman, Tyler Coleman, Junior Castro-Hernandez, Justin Hurt, Daniel Prickett and Ronnie Wilson.  Serving as honorary pallbearers will be her great-great nephews—Skyler, Jayden and Jorden.

The family will receive friends at James Funeral Home from 12:30 – 2:00 P.M. prior to the services on Monday afternoon, August 30, 2021.