Gayle Patricia Thompson Staats died January 30, 2008. She was born and raised in Forest City, Iowa. Her parents were Stella and Paul Thompson. Gayle graduated from Forest City High School.

Gayle and her husband Richard H.D. Staats built a home in Caledonia. In 1951 the couple moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, where Rick worked for an insurance company. Gayle headed a sheet music department and later worked part-time at the newspaper. She was a long time faithful member of University United Methodist Church, where she and her husband were avid members of the Sanctuary Choir and Bell Choir and attended Adult Sunday School class.

Gayle is survived by her sister, Janelle Colleran of Caledonia;  two brothers, Donald Thompson of Arvada, Colo. and Tommy Thompson of Hawaii; her three children, Charles Staats of Wichita Falls, Texas; Cheryl Staats of Cincinnati, Ohio; and Cathy Staats of Culemborg, Holland; and by ten grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband on Oct. 3, 2005 and by her sister Carol Thompson Butz and her brother Robert Thompson.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 3, 2008 at the University United Methodist Church Chapel, Wichita Falls, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to your favorite charity.