Gayle H Woolley

Gayle H Woolley, 74, of Driggs, Idaho, passed away on February 12, 2024, in Rexburg, Idaho, due to complications of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Gayle was born on May 31st, 1949, in Farmington, New Mexico, to Selmon and Lois Huffaker.  She was the youngest of three children, joining her older brother Stan and sister Jeri.  The family moved to Hawthorne, California, in 1951, where Gayle grew up.  She attended Hawthorne High School.  Upon graduation, Gayle attended Brigham Young University and Church School of Hawaii (later renamed BYU Hawaii).  After graduating from BYU in 1972, she started teaching at Blackfoot High School in Blackfoot, Idaho.  It was at Blackfoot High she met another teacher, Gordon Woolley. They fell in love and were married in the Los Angeles Temple on June 30, 1973. They loved each other dearly, setting an example to others of a beautiful, committed marriage, celebrating 50 years of marriage in the summer of 2023. They are the parents of five children, Brandon, Matthew, Meghan, Jon, and Rachel.

The family moved to Teton Valley in 1981, where Gayle focused on raising her family and eventually continued her teaching career at Teton High School. She taught English and Art and was the Yearbook Advisor.  She had a great influence on many students throughout the years. Her former students remember her as a kind mentor who worked to build relationships with all students, regardless of background. She retired from teaching in 2011

Gayle loved the mountains, hiking, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Parks. She and Gordon spent countless Sunday afternoons driving through Grand Teton and Yellowstone. She never met a road trip she wasn’t game for, including visits to her family in California twice per year.  She loved taking photos, especially of her family and beautiful scenery.  She treasured spending time with Gordon, their children, and their grandchildren.  Gayle loved music, art, and theater and endeavored to regularly give her family more culture.

Gayle was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served wherever she was called.  In 2016, she and Gordon served a mission in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Mission, working with young single adults in the Waynesboro, Pennsylvania area.  They also served as temple workers in the Rexburg, Idaho temple for many years.

Gayle is survived by her husband, Gordon, and their children: Brandon (Dayna) Woolley of Ammon, Idaho; Matthew (Marci) Woolley of American Fork, Utah; Meghan (Dale) Anderson of Lyman, Wyoming; Jon (Nicole) Woolley of Caldwell, Idaho; and Rachel (David) Kunz of Tetonia, Idaho; as well as 17 grandchildren and her sister Jeri (Jack) Sturges of Arroyo Grande, California.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Stan Huffaker.

Services will be held on Wednesday, February 21, at 11:00 am.  There will be a visitation on Tuesday, February 20, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm and before the service from 9:30 to 10:30 am.  All services will be held at the Driggs LDS Stake Center, which is located at 225 N. First St. in Driggs. The interment will be at the Darby cemetery.

To watch the funeral remotely, go to https://zoom.us/j/92649209523