Della is the youngest daughter of Richard and Ella Abbott. She was born in Maine but moved to Minnesota when she was only a few years old. She grew up in Moose Lake and it was in this town that she met and married her husband Peter Gay.

Della and Peter married on the 20th of March 1897 in Moose Lake, Minnesota. Source: (MN Marriage Index record: Carlton County, MN Certid# B-284 20-Mar-1897 Groom: GAY, Peter Bride: ABBOTT, Della A).

Della and Peter moved around Minnesota throughout their marriage and lived in many different cities. They even stayed for a short time in Washington. Together they had ten children, five boys: Melvin, Clifford, Ervin, Fred and Conrad, and five girls: Blanche, Bessie, Violet, Flora and Irene. Having ten children provided countless grandchildren!

Della is buried alongside her husband of 53 years.

Obituary courtesy of streamer (47113071):

"November 4, 1950 Chisago County Press

Mrs. Peter Gay passed away October 29, 1950 at the age of 79 years, 5 mo and 4 days, while visiting at the home of her son, Clifford and family, at Milwaukee, WI.

Della Abbott Gay was born May 25, 1880 in Portland, Maine. As a young child she moved with her parents to Willow River, MN The family later settled at Moose Lake, MN where she joined the Moose Lake Methodist Church and grew into womanhood in that vicinity. On March 20, 1897, she was united in marriage to Peter Gay and to this union were born 5 sons and five daughters. They lived in the Moose Lake vicinity until 1913 when they moved to the Shafer community. In 1929 the family moved to the Palmdale community and later to Lindstrom. They then again returned to the Moose Lake area and following this went to the West Coast in 19143 and lived there until the present time.

Mrs. Gay is survived by her ten children, Melvin of Shafer, Clifford of Milwaukee, Ervin of Moose Lake, Fred and Conrad of Lakewood, WA, Mrs. Morrill Olson (Blanche) of Fargo, ND, Mrs. Rudolph Petechl (Bessie) of Minneapolis, Mrs. Wm Conway of Slayton, MN, Mrs. Hjalmer Lindgren (Flora) of Shafer, and Mrs. Robert DuFault (Irene) of Moose Lake.

Also surviving is her husband Peter, and two brothers, Frank Abbott of Cass Lake and William Abbott of Moose Lake, 26 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held from the Methodist Church at Taylors falls, MN on Friday, Nov 3 aty 2:00 pm with Rev Marlen Johnson of Lindstrom officiating. Rev Johnson sang "Beyond the Sunset and "There is a Land That is Fairer Than Day". He was accompanied by Mrs. Duswisler. Pallbearers were Harry Swenson,, John Smith,, Alfred Nelson,, Charles Fridland, Ralph Blood, and Oscar Nelson. Interment was made at Kahbakong cemetery. Grandstrand Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements."