Gay Ellen Rayno, 85, passed away on February 24, 2022 at the Merrimack County Nursing Home in Boscawen, surrounded by her loved ones.

Gay Ellen was born on January 26, 1937 to Kenneth and Anna (Gay) Rich in New London and remained a life-long resident of the area.

Gay graduated from New London High School in 1955.  She worked for many years as a bookkeeper at her first husband’s business, Sanborn Auto Body, before working at RP Johnson and Son for 18 years, and then at Walker Automotive, where she retired in 2013.

Gay was a member of the Wilmot Congregational Church and the Order of the Eastern Star, the Ionic Ragged Chapter 20, and served as Worthy Matron. She had a passion for music and loved singing and playing the piano and organ.

Gay is predeceased by her husband, Robert Rayno; son, Michael T. Sanborn; parents, Kenneth and Anna (Gay) Rich; and her brother, Kenneth Rich, Jr.

Her surviving family includes her brother, Fred Rich of Sanbornton; her son, Bruce Sanborn of New London; her daughter, Emily (Sanborn) Collinson and her husband Andy of Sanbornton; her son, Peter Sanborn and his wife Anna of Andover; her daughter, Kitty (Sanborn) Burnham and her husband Nick of Hartland, Vermont; and her daughter-in-law, Pam Sanborn of New London.

She leaves behind 11 grandchildren: Claire Sanborn, Michael Sanborn, Joan E. Champagne (and her husband Jon), Christopher Lyons (and his wife Emily), Andrew Collinson, Brooke Collinson-Doda (and her husband Enio), Amanda Vadala (and her husband Matt), Michael Sanborn (and his wife Karena), Jaden Sanborn, Kayla Burnham, and Rylee Burnham; as well as  10 great-grandchildren: Tyler Champagne, Julianna Champagne, Olivia Lyons, Henry Lyons, Charlie Lyons, Gabriel Vadala, Vincent Vadala, Jacen Sanborn, Lincoln Sanborn, and Levi Sanborn.
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Gay was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and she will be missed.
A graveside service will be held at the Pine Hill Cemetery in Wilmot in the spring.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Merrimack County Nursing Home, 325 Daniel Webster Highway, Boscawen NH 03303.

To sign an online guestbook, please visit ChadwickFuneralService.com.