Gayle Marie Bailey

She was born in San Angelo, Texas, December 18, 1936, to Raleigh Britton Fread and Alphonsine (Alpha) Hamelin Fread. She graduated from San Angelo State University before transferring to The University of Texas at Austin, where she pursued a degree in Business Psychology and was active in the Delta Gamma Sorority, keeping a robust social calendar.

At UT she met Charles Bailey, whom she married on October 19,1957. They lived in Munich, Germany from 1957-59, where Charles was stationed during the peacetime draft. This experience began a lifelong love of travel for them both. During their 57-year marriage they were fortunate to visit many different countries and enjoyed friendships far and wide. After returning to the U.S., they settled in Houston, where they lived for over 30 years with a brief stint of several years in Bermuda in the 1980s. In 2000, Charles and Gayle relocated to Austin where they enjoyed a much earned retirement.

Gayle enjoyed travel, gardening, and was an avid reader and enthusiastic conversationalist. She instilled a lifelong love of learning, an interest in the arts, and the importance of having a curious mind in her children and grandchildren. A proud Texan, she embodied the West Texas spirit—warm and open in nature, strong in will and fiercely independent.

Preceded in death by her parents, her sister Gloria, and her husband Charles, she is survived by her children, Michele and husband Greg Pake, Craig and partner John Fetsko, Julie and husband Jim Sekelsky; and grandchildren, Kyle, Liam, Hannah, Erin, and Alec.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the Delta Gamma Foundation or Hospice Austin’s Christopher House at hospiceaustin.org.