Gay Buick GMC

General information

Marie Gay and her husband Carl started their career together in the early 1940s. They began traveling the country with their magazine business and brought their crew of salespeople along to help. After returning to the Dickinson, Texas area in 1948, Marie and Carl created Gay Pontiac on Highway 3. In the 1960s, they moved the store's location to the newly built Gulf Freeway where their business began to flourish. During the entire 68 years that the store has been in operation, it has received numerous awards for setting sales records, including the prestigious General Motors Master Dealer Award. Gay Pontiac was one of only five dealerships nationwide to receive this honor 25 years in a row.

Marie was, in fact, one of the first female dealers to be recognized by General Motors. Car buyers enjoyed Marie's welcoming greeting on the showroom floor and her dedication to making sure their experience was excellent. Because she was on site every day, she could keep a watchful eye on her customers and be available if they ever needed her. She commanded the respect of her employees by being tough, but also caring and approachable. The car business was her life and that meant her customers and employees always came first. Marie was always selling cars. Even into her last years, she was selling to nurses and doctors who supervised her care in the hospital.

Marie and Carl also operated Houston International Raceway on the Gulf Freeway in the 1960s, which began their lifelong passion for drag racing. Later, they became part owners in Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas. Their sons and grandsons all went on to continue the rich racing tradition of the Gay family, and are still well known in the Houston metro area today because of their racing history.

Marie had a zest for life that was uncanny, and she passed that attitude on to all those around her. She loved to travel the world with her family and friends, and was particularly fond of her Las Vegas and Italy trips. Marie and Carl also loved football and were probably the biggest fans of the Houston Oilers. They rarely missed an Oilers home game in the Astrodome, and they frequently traveled to away games with the team.

Mrs. Marie Gay passed away on March 10, 2016 at the age of 95, but her legacy will live on with everyone that she touched. She was an excellent role model for other women interested in owning their own business, and she helped supply the vital need of vehicle transportation and service to the Dickinson and Houston area communities. In fact, it is still possible today to see thousands of cars around the metro area that bear the Gay nameplate. She also built a great place to work that has allowed hundreds of her employees to provide for their families over the last 68 years. Marie Gay is greatly loved, and she will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and employees.