Gayle Margaret (McDonald) Cross

Gayle Margaret Cross, 75 years old, of Auburn, Alabama, passed away on May 4, 2024. She was predeceased by her parents, Floyd and Margaret McDonald, and younger brother Mark McDonald. She is survived by her husband James, children Jae and Kelby (Conway), son-in-law Joel, and grandchildren Reagan, Oliver, and Izzie, younger brother Mike McDonald (wife Anne) and baby brother Brian McDonald (wife Rose), as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Gayle was born on March 15, 1949, in Huntsville, Texas. She and her three younger brothers, Mike, Mark, and Brian were raised in Pasadena, Texas.

She met James in January 1967 during their senior year at Sam Rayburn High School, in physics class. They were married two and a half years later on July 18, 1969. Gayle earned degrees in math and English from Sam Houston State University and a law degree from the University of Houston. Gayle loved learning about other cultures and wanted to travel the world. She filled out an application for James to teach overseas, with the first stop in Okinawa, Japan, where James and Gayle lived for six years and Jae and Kelby were born. They traveled to many countries while living in Okinawa. Their next adventure carried them to Chorleywood, England (near London), where they lived for two and half years. After leaving England, they lived in College Station, Texas, where James finished up graduate school and Gayle worked as an associate at a law practice before deciding that teaching was a better schedule for the family. Then they handpicked Auburn, Alabama, as the destination where James would build his teaching and research career and together they would raise their family. Gayle’s love of travel continued through the years as she visited many different countries. 

Along with loving her family and traveling, Gayle found a great passion in learning about the Bible. She was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses on November 30, 1985. She loved her God, Jehovah, loyally and found great satisfaction in teaching others about the incredible Bible truths that changed her understanding of the present and her hope for the future. She served as a full-time pioneer for 17 years, volunteering many hours each month to teaching others about Jehovah and the beautiful promises in the Bible.

Gayle touched many lives with her cheerful, sincere, and thoughtful personality. She loved people deeply and constantly, from her heart, always looking for ways she could help them. If you knew Gayle, you loved her.