As an adult, her main priorities were helping her husband, Don become a CPA and raising her two sons.
Puppetry came back
into Gayle's life when she enrolled in classes in Pasadena, taught by
Harry Burnett puppet maker and performer for the Yale Puppeteers at
the famous Turnabout Theater. Gayle's first large puppet under Harry's
tutelage was a Santa Claus she still proudly keeps. She developed a
close friendship with Harry, who she often invited to her home. Later,
she went to his home for classes.
She and her sons
performed together. She worked with Betsy Brown, doing shows at the
Balinese Shop in Pasadena. She also did birthday parties with lap puppets.
In the 80's she was the spark for the Pasadena Assistance League antismoking
and anti drug puppet shows. With her talent for getting people involved
she induced the best puppeteers in America to make puppets, propsand
sets and help the ladies learn to perform. She worked with the League
for a number of years.
Gayle joined the
local puppet organization, the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry, right
after the first West Coast National Festival at UCLA in 1957. She has
served as an officer in the Los Angeles Guild every year except one.
She also became a member of the national organization, Puppeteers of
America. Her first office in the P.of A. was Executive Secretary. She
has been a very dedicated vounteer serving in every official capacity
except President. She has also served as Regional Director several times,
National Festival Director for the first San Louis Obispo Festival,
on the National Board eight years and as Membership Chair 24 years.
For her many years of service, she has been honoured with a Life Membership
in Puppeteers of America and Life Membersip in the Los Angeles and San
Francisco Guilds. Husband, Don has donated his skills as financial advisor
to the P. of A. He has given valuable assistance at festivals and worked
behind the scenes on guild, regional and national projects.
Gayle says she first
got involved with IPM when a group of dedicated people were trying
to form the organization at a series of meetings at Cal State L.A. She
started volunteering because she wanted to be included in the decision
making and advancement of this exciting and important project, one
that would reinforce and advance the art of puppetry on the west coast.
Gayle and Don are
a very special couple who have dedicated a large portion of their lives
to puppetry, and in the past few years, to IPM. Gayle is generous,
hard working, a skilled recruiter, a motivator and a great cook and
hostess. Don is her greatest supporter. IPM and the world of puppetry
wouldn't be the same without them. They are proud to have puppeteers
as friends and we are extremely proud to call Gayle and Don our friends.
What
her IPM friends say: . . .
"We
first met in the old Scattergood days. She got me involved in revamping
a PTA show she was working on with her sons. She was sort of shy in
the beginning, but gutsy enough to keep going anyway. She's a great
friend to me and to everyone. Every time IPM has a critical situation
and we think we may not make it, she has a party and gets things going
again." ---Alan Cook . . .
"I
met Gayle because she needed a roommate at a festival. Her greatest
ability is getting people involved for a cause. I remember the Washington
D.C. National Festival. I had planned to stay for some sightseeing after
the Festival, instead, Gayle got me working on cleaning-up the registration
stuff. I didn't see much of D.C. but I've been working with Gayle ever
since, and now we work together to support IPM." ---Evie Brown . .
.
"She's so generous with her home and her culinary skills. Everyplace
you go she brings food, and if you say you like it she'll be sure to
have it at the next thing you attend with her. I admire her ability
to learn and work hard for what she believes in. She isn't afraid to
works and always gets the job done."--- Jackee Marks. . .
"Gayle
is like a big sister to me. I've known her since I was about 12 years
old. My kids had birthday parties at her home, she's shared her cooking
skills with me and supported and encouraged me in all that I've done
over the years. If you're > working with Gayle, on a project, you work
really hard, but she makes it fun, and of course she feeds you well."
---Beth Fernandez...
While none of us
can really know another person, we do know that Gayle has dedicated
a huge portion of her life and her time to puppetry, that she is generous,
hard working, a skilled recruiter, a motivator and a great cook and
hostess. We know that she and Don are a very special couple. We know
that IPM and the world of puppetry wouldn't be the same without her
and her best friend Don. She is proud to have puppeteers as friends
and we are all extremely proud and grateful that for them.
