Gayle Richard Lee Gardner

Gayle was born on the family farm outside of Ennis, Texas on August 17, 1938, to Raymond and Dorothy (Sublett) Gardner. He married the love of his life, Shirley Gardner (Chaudoin) in 1957, and they were married for 48 years until her passing in 2005. In 2007, he married Donna Gwin and they were married for 17 years. He was preceded in passing by two brothers, Gerald Gardner and Glynn Gardner, and his daughter, Dana Gardner Scott.

The legacy of Gayle will continue through his youngest brother, Gary Gardner (Debbie), his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. His children are Rick Gardner (Nora) and Debbie Gillette (Rob). His seven grandchildren include: Jordan Chapman (Brett), Trevor Gillette (Rachel), Tanner Gillette (Kristen), Baylee Barger (Brock), Blake Gardner (Mattie), Grant Gardner and Alexa Gardner. He has six great grandchildren, and four great grandchildren scheduled to arrive in 2025.

Gayle graduated with honors from Comanche High School in Comanche Oklahoma, a small town in southwestern Oklahoma. He went on to attend the University of Oklahoma, Bethany Nazarene College and Hillsdale Bible College. He also served in the United States Air Force branch of the United States Armed Forces.

Gayle began his career as a brick mason. In 1962, he became an ordained minister. He pastored churches in Clemscott, Oklahoma, Harper, Kansas and Purcell, Oklahoma. In 1973, he and his family moved to McAllen, Texas, to attend Kingsway Missionary Institute Language school, to learn Spanish and become missionaries to Mexico. In 1974, he and his family moved to Brownsville, Texas and he became pastor of Church of the Good Shepherd and served as a missionary to over 20 different communities in Mexico. He retired as Senior Pastor of the church in 2005. He continued on with his missions travels. During his time as Pastor and subsequent to his retirement, he and his wife traveled around the world for missions, holding teaching conferences for young pastors in approximately 30 countries scattered across Mexico, Central America, South America, Asia and Europe. He will be remembered for his passion and heart to spread the gospel around the world.

Please join us in celebrating his life on Friday, January 17, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Bill Eisenhour Funeral Home at Sunny Lane Cemetery, 4000 SE 29th Street, Del City, OK 73115. A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 16, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, you may wish to contribute, in honor of Gayle Gardner, to one of the following missions organizations:

World Missions Outreach

P.O. Box 5536

Brownsville, Texas 78523

www.worldmissionsoutreach.org

Here’s Life Africa

2001 W. Plano Parkway -- #3435

Plano, Texas 75075

www.hereslifeafrica.com