Garvin County, Oklahoma Cemetery Page

© Havenbrook Funeral Home
Norman OK
February 2011

Gayle Dyer
May 13, 1939 ~ February 14, 2011

Funeral services for longtime Oklahoma City businesswoman and co-founder of "An Affair of the Heart, Inc." Gayle Dyer,age 71, will be held at 2:00 pm Monday, February 14, 2011 at the Southern Hills Baptist Church, 8601 South Pennsylvania Avenue in Oklahoma City with Dr Doug Melton, Reverend David Gibson, and Reverend Jeff Leduc officiating.

Gayle was born May 13, 1939 in Wayne, Oklahoma the daughter of Harold and Ludia (Morris) Yoakum. She went to be with her Heavenly Father and received a pat on her head from her Dad, Harold Yoakum, on February 8, 2011, at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, after a brief battle with kidney cancer.

Gayle was raised in Del City, Oklahoma, graduating from Del City High School in May of 1957. She met the love of her life, Roy Bowling, and was married in 1957 and was blessed with two beautiful daughters, Lisa and Beth. Gayle and Roy were married 29 years, when Roy passed away in 1986.

From 1957 to 1986, Gayle was a faithful wife, loving mother, homemaker, Sunday School teacher, and PTA President. She established her first business in 1982, opening Willow Creek Antiques and Gifts in Oklahoma City.

In 1985, she and seven other women combined their resources, each one investing just $500.00, to establish the first "An Affair of the Heart" craft show. Celebrating 26 years this weekend, "An Affair of the Heart" has become one of the largest events and one of the most unique marketplaces in the United States for antiques, crafts, clothing, jewelry, home decor, and gift items. The event is now held twice yearly in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

In 1994, Gayle was united in marriage to Mr. Wayne Chambers, enjoying six years of marriage before his death in 2000.

God blessed Gayle with a loving, Christian man, Ermon Dyer, and the two of them were married on July 5, 2002. Ermon and Gayle loved their life together, traveling to Santa Fe, New Mexico, enjoying the beach in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and many other destinations.

At the time of her death, Gayle served as the Marketing Director for the "Affair of the Heart," and was an inspirational speaker for various churches, women's groups, Stonecraft Ministries, civic organizations and business classes on Marketing and Public Relations.

In October of 2010, Gayle authored her first book, "Dancing In The Bird Bath," a biography of her faith, her life and her family.

Gayle was a volunteer in the Women's Career Development program at the Oklahoma City Community College, teaching, advising, counseling, and mentoring other women in business, marketing, and public relations. She is a member and Past President of the South Oklahoma City Professional Women's Tips Organization, a finalist in the Journal Records Woman of the Year for three years, and was inducted into the Circle of Excellence. She previously served as President of the Central Oklahoma Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, an organization she also served as Chairman of Mentoring.

Gayle always has an interest in promoting the State of Oklahoma, and in 1996, taught a workshop at the Oklahoma Governor's Conference of Tourism. That same year, "An Affair of the Heart" received the conference award of Merit for Public Relations.

Gayle was a very passionate woman and had a zest for life. She loved her Lord and Savior and her family more than anything else in this world. She commented that, "Good families and sound business are very much alike. When each is nurtured and handled with wisdom and a passion to have them become all they can be, good things happen." Growth and success, Gayle felt, came from a commitment to the Lord to guide her through life's challenges.

Survivors include her mother, Ludia Yoakum of Oklahoma City; her husband, Ermon Dyer of the home; five daughters; Lisa Dahlem of Moore, Oklahoma; Beth Becerra and her husband, John of Oklahoma City; Kim Cole and her husband, Bobby of Blanchard; Cherie Dyer of Oklahoma City; Karen "Deen" Neil of Midvale, Ohio; one son; John "Butch" Kristof of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; one brother; Harvey Yoakum and his wife, Carol of Longmont, Colorado; eight grandchildren; Paula Ford, Tara Talalas, Caleb Cole, Carissa Cole, Josh Dahlem, Dalton Burns, Katie Becerra, and Kyan Dyer; four great grandchildren; many nieces, nephews and her "An Affair of the Heart" family.

In addition to her two husbands, she was preceded in death by her father, Harold Yoakum in 2003.

The Dyer family will greet friends from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Sunday, February 13, 2011 at the Havenbrook Funeral Home, 3401 Havenbrook Street, Norman, Oklahoma.

Memorial donations may be made in memory of Gayle Dyer to the Toby Keith Foundation, P.O. Box 721856, Norman, Oklahoma 73070 or the National Kidney Cancer Foundation, P.O. 3516, Oak Brook, Illinois, 60522-3516.

Gayle will be laid to rest in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma under the direction of the Havenbrook Funeral Home of Norman.

Online condolences may be shared at www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent.All rights reserved! Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited!© 2000-2024 Oklahoma Cemeteries

This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent.
All rights reserved! Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited!
© 2000-2024 Oklahoma Cemeteries