Samuel “Shay” Porcher Gaillard, III 84, entered into eternal rest on July 27, 2025, surrounded by family at home in West Ashley. Shay was born on February 25, 1941 in Sumter, SC to the late Samuel Porcher Gaillard, Jr. and the late Mildred Glover Gaillard.
He graduated from Edmond’s High School in 1960, where he played football and basketball, and was active in student government. Shay was a graduate of the Citadel, Class of 1964, where he played freshman football, was a member of the Summerall Guards, the Citadel Choir, and served on the Honor Committee.
Shay is survived by his wife of 60 years, Ann Hock Gaillard; their four children, Noel Merrill (Jim), Shay Gaillard, IV (Tara), Catherine Gaillard, and Ann Forbes(Tim); and thirteen wonderful grandchildren, Delaney, Haley, and Darby Merrill; Ann Claire, Mary Foster, Eliza, and Cate Gaillard; Joshua, Hannah, and Ethan Gaillard Perch; and Grace, Marie, and Cecilia Forbes. He was predeceased by his parents; his sister, Elizabeth; and an infant daughter, Mary Elise.
Shay was a member of the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul for many years and served on the Vestry. His business career was in sales with IBM, as well as in accounting. Shay delighted in his family, especially enjoying times at the lake teaching his grandchildren to water ski.
A service of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am on Thursday, July 31 at Old St. Andrews Anglican Church on Ashley River Road. The family will receive friends after the service in the Parish Hall. Burial will be held at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church Cemetery, in Bradford Springs at 3:00 pm that afternoon.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Citadel Foundation-Class of 1964 Scholarship Fund (171 Moultrie St. Charleston, S.C. 29403, 843-953-5297), or Camp Jubilee Development Fund (℅ Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, PO Box 20127, Charleston, SC 29413).