Richard Murray Gay, 77

Richard Murray Gay passed away Sunday, March 23, 2025, at Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, with his wife and children close at hand. 

Rich was born Jan. 20, 1948, to Roger and Velva Gay in Louisville, Ky. He grew up in South Bend, Ind., with his four younger siblings. Rich graduated from Riley High School in South Bend in 1967 and shortly thereafter enlisted in the Army. He served one tour in Vietnam as a Pathfinder with the 101st Airborne Division. Upon his return to Indiana, he met Karen Hungate, and they married in December 1970. 

In June 1971, they moved to Vincennes, Ind., where Karen began her teaching career, and Rich completed an associate degree in residential and commercial construction. Rich would go on to build houses in Indiana, Washington, Texas and airplane hangars in Idaho.  

In 1977, the couple decided to move west toward the mountains that Rich loved. Coeur d’Alene was the destination, but the couple overshot to Cheney, Wash., where Rich enrolled in the criminal justice program at Eastern Washington University. After graduation, he worked in law enforcement with the Whitman County, Wash., Sheriff’s Office, followed by a 20-year career with the Bellevue, Wash., Police Department. After retiring from Bellevue P.D., Richard served as an international police officer with the State Department and the United Nations. The job included training police officers in policing practices in Kosovo (two tours), and in Sudan (one tour). 

After his service overseas, Rich and Karen lived in Texas before Sandpoint, Idaho, became their home in 2017.

Richard had a heart for Christian missions. He led or participated in various international mission trips to Guatemala, Thailand, Myanmar, Mexico, Chile and Ecuador.

A caring family man, Rich adored his three children, and enjoyed riding horses, boating and going to sporting events with his children and grandchildren. 

Rich is survived by his wife, Karen (of 54 years), and his three children, Adrianne Lange (Branden) and son Lucas of Sandpoint; Stephanie Reimann (Kevin) and their daughters, Annaliese and Finnley of Sandpoint; and Aaron Hungate (Stacy) and their sons Hudson and Tayson of Bothell, Wash. He also leaves behind his siblings, Dennis Gay, Roger Gay Jr., Patricia Wolf, Pamela Walker, and several other extended family members.  

A celebration of life service for Richard will be held Friday, April 25, at 11 a.m. at North Summit Church, 201 N. Division, Sandpoint in the south building. Parking is available in the south parking lot.

Family and friends are invited to sign Rich’s online guest book at coffeltfuneral.com.

Arrangements are under the care of Coffelt Funeral Services.