June 16, 1947 ~ December 3, 2021
Gayle passed away with loved ones at her side in her home in Orem, Utah following a years-long struggle with a rare condition called multiple systems atrophy (MSA). She was 74 years old.
Gayle was born in Provo Utah to Max and Jessie Jones. She attended Wasatch Elementary, Farrer Junior High, Provo High, and Brigham Young University. She married Kent Crookston on June 22, 1966, in the Salt Lake temple. She worked at the Uinta Theater while in high school, and for Signetics Corporation while Kent finished his bachelor’s degree at BYU. They then moved to Minnesota where she managed an apartment building and did day care while Kent earned his PhD from the University of Minnesota (U of MN). They lived in Lethbridge, Alberta, and Ithaca, New York before Kent joined the U of MN faculty in 1974. They moved back to Utah in 1998 when Kent became a dean at BYU.
From 1984 to 1986 Gayle and her family lived in Rabat Morocco while Kent worked for the US State Department. She served on the school board of the Rabat American School, and taught English to Moroccan women in her home. This was one of her favorite times of life as she loved adventure and new cultures. She traveled to Andorra, Antarctica, Armenia, Argentina, Canada, China, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Falkland Islands, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Holland, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Mexico , Norway, Panama, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay, and Wales. From 2012 to 2013 Gayle and Kent went back to Morocco as the first LDS missionaries to that country (humanitarian mission).
Gayle was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in numerous callings. She was driven to contribute and help, continually supporting her husband and children in all their activities, volunteering in community and schools, and preparing and delivering meals to others. She was an excellent cook – her orange rolls and fudge were unmatched.
She was a high-demand substitute elementary-school teacher in Orem, especially to help “special” children – they loved her. She was a skilled quilter and won ribbons at the Minnesota State Fair, and the Springville Art Museum. She was physically active and a stalwart at Cross Fit, and at Legends Boxing, as she fought to ward off the effects of MSA.
Gayle is survived by her sisters Judith (Larry Davis), and Carol (Randy Felice), her husband Kent and seven children: Rebecca (Alan Leach), Casey (Carina), Polly, Daniel, Elizabeth (Bradley Chappell), Emily (Jaren Taylor) and Sadie (Spencer Esplin). She has eighteen grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held May 7, 2022, starting 12:00 pm, at 762 East 1200 North in Orem. Friends may greet the family starting 10:30am at the zoom link [Meeting ID: 822 0005 6187 Passcode: 818140]
Published by Deseret News from Apr. 26 to May 6, 2022.
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