Charles William Gay ’68

Charles William Gay ’68 died on March 7 in Point Reyes, California, after hitting his head in a fall. His health had deteriorated in recent years, as he suffered from Parkinson’s disease, prostate cancer, and heart disease. Charles came to Dartmouth from Los Angeles, where he graduated from Venice High School. At Dartmouth he majored in art and architecture, was a member of Foley House, and studied as a senior fellow. Although he began a master’s program at Berkeley in architecture, he lost his deferment and was forced to drop out. Fortuitously, he received an offer from the Peace Corps in Nepal to serve as a civil engineer with the local government in a remote district in the eastern foothills of the Himalaya. Charles’s life was forever changed by his service there, and he loved the people and the country. When son Forrest reached kindergarten age, Charles and his wife, Pam, moved to Katmandu, where Charles worked for trekking companies and then started his own, specializing in custom treks to restricted areas. Forrest was the first foreigner to spend K-12 at the American school there. In the 40th reunion book, Charles expressed his enchantment with Nepal, its mountains, and indigenous people. Fortunately, he was able to return for the month of November 2024, introducing grandson Charlie to his favorite places. Charles is survived by his wife of 52 years, Pamela, Forrest ’02, and Charlie.