-Kevin Gay, Tommy & Shirley Gay’s son
Continuing a Family’s Commitment to Giving Locally
J. THOMAS AND SHIRLEY GAY WERE THE MOST LOCAL OF PHILANTHROPISTS. Both born in the old St. Luke’s hospital near downtown Jacksonville, they never lost sight of their responsibility to the community as they built a successful business and raised their children, whose enduring love led them to establish a fund in their honor this year.
“Our parents came from loving families, but humble backgrounds,” said Julie Vontz, their daughter. “They felt very blessed, and they wanted to give back. They passed that on to us.”
Thomas, or “Tommy,” returned home from the University of Florida after only one year to support the family after his father was injured in an accident. In fact, Tommy wound up buying his baby brother his first bicycle. Early on, Tommy ran for City Council and lost. But he liked to say it was the best thing that could have happened, because he wound up in business with Tom Petway, instead. Together, they built one of Jacksonville’s leading insurance companies.
Tommy never lost his passion for civic engagement. He served as the first chairman of The Players and the president of the Gator Bowl.
He believed sports could shine a light on Jacksonville and serve as a way to give back through philanthropy. “He had a capacity for doing a lot of things and doing them well,” Petway told the Florida Times-Union for his obituary in 2014. “He had a lot of friends because of his big heart. He just liked being around people.”
Shirley, who passed away in 2010, loved to entertain and tell stories, and often came home to regale the family with escapades akin to Lucille Ball. She and Tommy were devoted parents, coaching Little League and supporting Julie’s horseback riding.
Both Shirley and Tommy valued engagement in their local community. They helped fund the start of Operation New Hope in 1999 and inspired the community to get behind it. Today, Operation New Hope has expanded to serve five cities across Florida.
Julie and Kevin will follow in their parents’ footsteps, through the Tommy and Shirley Gay Family Fund as well as their own family funds, also established in 2024. They plan to support local causes that were important to their parents, including in honor of their sister, who died of leukemia in childhood.
“It’s a reflective time when you lose the core part of your family. It was a great blessing for us to figure out a way to do something in their name at The Community Foundation.” — Kevin Gay
Kevin Gay (pictured left), founder of Operation New Hope, joined CEO Reggie Fullwood (third from right), and the mayor of Tampa, Jane Castor (second from right) for the opening of one of five Operation New Hope locations in Florida. Tommy and Shirley Gay helped fund the start-up of Operation New Hope in Jacksonville, and the organization is expanding statewide, with a sixth location planned in 2025.