Gayle Russell Staton

Gayle Russell Staton left us peacefully for her eternal home on 9 October 2023 in Colorado Springs, Colorado after an extended illness. She was surrounded by her husband, children and caregivers, Virginia and Alyssa. Gayle was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents and sister. She is survived by her husband, a daughter and two sons.

Gayle was born Sandra Gayle Russell on 22 July 1952 in Malden, Missouri to William King Russell (Bill) and Barbara Cartwright Russell. She was the second of three children, with an older sister, Jerri Sue, and a younger brother, Wade Allen. As a child, she was sweet and generous.

When Gayle was a young child, her family moved to Hollywood, Florida where she became close to her first cousin who lived nearby in north Miami. After a few years, her family moved to North Carolina, which became their permanent home. She graduated from Parkland High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She then moved back to Missouri where she received her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Missouri. After getting her undergraduate degree, she moved back to Florida where she received her Master’s in Anthropology at the University of South Florida at Tampa.

After obtaining her Master’s degree, she moved to suburban Washington D.C., where she worked for the Heritage, Conservation and Recreation Service under the Carter Administration for a few years. After leaving government service, she worked contractually in her field including digs in Luxembourg and Tampa, Florida, as well as surveys throughout the Southeastern United States.

After confiding in her first cousin, Robert V. Russell, about her desire and wishes for marriage, he introduced her to her future husband at Bob’s house in Miami. After a short courtship, Gayle and Philip were married on 10 December 1982 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina by the Reverend A. J. Hale. Now known as Gayle Russell Staton, Gayle and Philip spent the first years of their marriage overseas where Philip worked in the Coca-Cola Bottling business and she became fluent in a new language. Gayle and Philip moved back to the States after Gayle developed serious health issues and resided in Florida and Virginia. Gayle and Philip then moved to California where her first cousin, Sharon, along with her daughters, Kelly and Krista, became a special part of her family.

Gayle and Philip were blessed first with twins and then a singleton. After living for a few years in California, Gayle and Philip moved to Colorado. Her health improved during part of this time and she was able to raise a wonderful family to whom she was devoted. She became active in their education, first as a home school teacher (she had experience having taught a semester on anthropology at Wake Forest University) and then as a member of the board of a charter school that was started in Colorado Springs.

Outside of school, she became very involved in the first Cub Scouts and then Boy Scouts as her husband was convalescing from illness. Her eldest son became an Eagle Scout.

Gayle leaves behind her faithful husband of 40 years, Philip A. R. Staton; a loving daughter, Elisabeth Kai Staton; and devoted sons, Carsten Mathias Staton and Barrett Dameron Staton, all of Colorado Springs, Colorado; her brother, Wade Allen (Veronica) Russell of Troutdale, Virginia; three nieces, Erica Russell of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Andrea (Kyla) Coffey if Albuquerque, New Mexico, Kendra (Josh) Wheeler of Kin, North Carolina; and one nephew, Russell Mullis of Jacksonville, North Carolina. Also surviving are cousins in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia, and England along with extended family, lifelong friend and acquaintances in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, and Germany.

A Memorial Service will be privately held.

Gayle will be laid to rest at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Colorado Springs, CO.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Swan-Law.com for the Staton family.