Gaye Wynn's Obituary
Gaye passed away on December 6th, 2023 in a Tulsa hospital surrounded by family, one day after her 90th birthday. She was born on December 5th, 1933, in Elmore City, OK. She graduated from Tecumseh High School and attended Oklahoma A&M College. A natural beauty, she was chosen as Miss Tecumseh in her teenage years.
Gaye spent her early childhood on the McGalliard family farm with her parents and grandparents, near Paul's Valley. Growing up, Gaye was inseparable from her cousins Ann and Jan. They lived close to each other on the farm, and could be found together most of the time. When Jan moved to Rhode Island around 1960, Gaye and Ann packed up their three young children, Ronna, Julie, and Elaine (all under age 6), and their grandmother, Julia “Nanny” McGalliard, to take a courageous cross-country train trip to visit her. Gaye hadn’t traveled that far before, Nanny had spent her entire life on the farm, and poor little Elaine was terribly motion sick, which made the three-generation girl’s trip even more memorable for the women all caring for each other along the way.
On August 2, 1953, Gaye married the love of her life, Charles “Ronnie” Wynn, who fondly referred to her as "Myrt." During the early years of their marriage, they spent some time in Tulsa, and also lived in Ardmore, OK, where Gaye was an active member of the community. She volunteered with the local Jaycees Chapter, helping to plan the Miss Ardmore Pageant, participating in annual parades, and attending the state Jaycee convention, among other things.
In December 1965, Ronnie and Gaye settled down in Tulsa, where they had built their forever home that came complete with a left-handed kitchen. Gaye was a doting mother to their three daughters, teaching them how to read, write, cook, sew, and draw. Her children have fond memories of sharing books with their mother. Her love of reading has been passed down to three generations so far, leaving behind a legacy of avid readers.
Gaye loved sewing clothes for her family, and when someone found a pattern they liked, she would make it for them in every color. Each time one of the kids got a new top, Gaye would make them a pair of pants to match. There was a pattern for pants that her daughters loved so much that the pattern itself got worn out!
In her later years, Gaye devoted much of her time to gardening, with a particular love for the hostas that grew below her beloved maple tree, “Madeline the Maple.” She spent many hours volunteering at the Linnaeus Teaching Garden, again giving back to her community as she did in early adulthood.
Gaye is preceded in death by her parents, Elton and Dorothy Ivey, by her husband, C. Ronald Wynn, and by her great-granddaughter, Molly Almohandis. She is survived by her brother, Donald Ivey, her three daughters: Ronna Lauro, Julie Powers, and Brenda Sawyer, her six grandchildren: Anne Brewer, Jason Almohandis, Sarah Neff, Rebecca Pinkterton, Lauren Meyer, and Victoria Sawyer, and her eight great-grandchildren: Freedom Abernathy, Chloe Almohandis, Alex Almohandis, Truth Abernathy, Oliver Almohandis, Penelope Neff, Ronna Jane Almohandis, and Vance Neff.
Gaye was very loved and will remain in our hearts. We will think of her as we finish a good book, when we see the fresh bloom of flowers in spring, and when we use her famous pumpkin pie recipe for years to come (the secret is in the crust!).
No service is planned at this time.
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