Gayle Rose McDonald

She was preceded in death by her husband John Lloyd McDonald, parents Eber Arthur and Elva Ruth Collins Grisso, as well as brothers Eber “Junior” Grisso Jr., Lloyd Grisso, and sister Elaine Grisso Sexton. Gayle is survived by her brother Robert Grisso, her children Julie (Billy) Goodson, John Lindsey (Kim) McDonald, Grant (Jennifer) McDonald, and Kevin (Kelly) McDonald. She is also survived by her grandchildren Charles (Hannah) King, Robert (Caroline) King, Jared King, Daniel King, Caleb (Lauren) McDonald, Aubrey McDonald, Mason McDonald, and Madison McDonald, and great-grandchildren Ezra and Liam King, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Gayle was born in Hanford, California. She met John in Sacramento at church and they married in 1959. They lived in Woodbridge, Virginia, and Alexandria, Virginia. In 1971 they moved to Montgomery, Alabama, where she worked hard raising 4 children. Gayle and the family also lived in Panama City, Florida, and Tallahassee, Florida, where she worked for several years as a preschool teacher at Timberlane church of Christ Preschool. After moving back to Montgomery, Gayle was a faithful member of the University church of Christ.

Gayle had a special way about her that made everyone feel welcome in her presence. She always had a warm smile and too warm of a home to welcome you into. She was a woman that knew exactly how she liked things and how they should be done, and of course her way was the right way. We all will miss her stubbornness and determination to do what she wanted to do always. We are sure that she was greeted by John with lots of hugs, kisses, and the best tomatoes grandpa has ever had up in heaven.