Cecelia Gay Heald, age 86, passed away on Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Gay was born on December 12, 1939, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to George Thomas "Buss" and Vera Maxine (Gay) Pfannkuch. A 1958 graduate of Marquette High School, she dedicated her professional life to others as a caregiver, becoming a registered nurse in 1961 at St. John's Hospital School of Nursing and later a B.S. in Nursing from Tulsa University in 1971.

On May 27, 1961, she married John B. "Jack" Heald, Jr. in Tulsa. Jack's early military service and later business career took them on a lifelong journey together; they lived in Washington State, Tulsa, Miami, Houston, and Concord, CA, before eventually returning home to Tulsa. In 2020, they moved to Cedar Rapids to be closer to family.

Known affectionately as Momma, Aunt Gay, Grandma Gay, and LaLa, Gay was a natural caregiver who found her greatest joy in nature and all its creatures. She was at home in the outdoors-whether camping, boating, or finding peace at the family cabin at Lake Tenkiller in Oklahoma. An accomplished and creative crafter, she had a gift for making things beautiful. She was also a self-proclaimed, unrepentant "chocoholic" who rarely met a sweet she didn't like.

Gay was renowned for her welcoming spirit. She had a unique gift for hospitality, ensuring that neighbors, friends, and even new acquaintances were always included in her world. Her home was a place of gathering, where she hosted countless parties, holiday meals, and celebrations, making everyone feel like a member of the family.

Above all, she loved babies and children. She was a loving and generous grandma who adored her two granddaughters, routinely traveling to Iowa to be part of their lives and joining the family on numerous vacations. Her legacy of kindness and her delight in the small wonders of the world will be deeply missed by her surviving loving family.

She is survived by her husband, Jack; daughter Sandy (Richard) Sublett; granddaughters Casey Lynn (John Thomas) Sublett Menchaca and Dana Marie Sublett; great-grandson Felix Menchaca; and her sister, Carol Ann Heald. Tulsa area family members include John T. (Cindy) Heald, Michelle Heald (Tim) Salmon, Matthew Heald, Michael (Jackie) Heald and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents.

A visitation is scheduled from 2:00 - 4:00 PM on Friday, March 20, 2026, at Fitzgerald Funeral Services (Southwood) in Tulsa. A funeral mass and burial will follow at the Calvary Cemetery chapel on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 10:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Cedar Rapids, IA