Published: July 15, 2006 03:11 am

Obituaries for 7-14-06
The Palestine Herald

Gayle Ray Essary

Services for Gayle Ray Essary, 66, of New York, and formerly of Palestine, will be at 3 p.m. Saturday July 15, 2006 at the Grace & Truth Gospel Tabernacle, 924 N. Esplanade with the Rev. Robert Guthrie, the Rev. Johnny Cook, the Rev. Deborah Cook, and Paul Essary officiating. Burial will follow in Broyles Chapel Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Bailey & Foster, Palestine.

Mr. Essary died Wednesday at Seton Medical Center in Austin. He was born June 23, 1940 in Electra, Texas to the well known evangelist the Rev. Willerson Essary and Lena Essary (Eads). For many years Gayle traveled with his father ministering with such well known national evangelistics as Jack Coe, Donald Skelton, Gordon Lindsay and many others. Mr. Essary graduated from Palestine High School in 1956, at the young age of 15. He later graduated from Tyler Jr. College at the age of 17 where he served as president of the student body. Mr. Essary became a reporter for the Tyler Star at age 19 and was the youngest newspaper reporter in the state. He ran many political campaigns and has been editor and founder of many magazines. He was currently CEO of InvesTrend Communications, Inc. He was also known for his sense of humor and his knack for always seeing the details and putting everything into perspective. Although he lived in many places he always considered Palestine to be home.

Mr. Essary was preceded in death by his father the Reverend Willerson Essary, founder of Grace and Truth Gospel Tabernacle, his mother and step father Lena and Billy Eads and older brother and younger sister. Gayle is survived by his four children Todd Essary of New York, NY, Lisa Westfall of Austin, Russell and Melanie Essary of Rego Park, NY, Linda Essary the mother of Russell and Melanie Essary. He is also survived by his Mom Etta Bell (Armstrong Essary) Guthrie and her husband Reverend Robert Guthrie of Palestine, his sister and her husband Reverends Johnny and Deborah (Debbie) Gail Essary-Cook of Forney, his brother and his wife Paul and Doenye Essary of Deer Park, three grandchildren Kyle Westfall, Matthew Ishee and Mary Elizabeth Ishee, two nephews the Reverend Jefferey and Shekinah Cook of League City, John David Cook of Palestine, two great nieces Rebekah Cook of Forney and Orfhlaith (Orla) Cook of League City, and one great nephew John Jeremiah Cook of Forney.

Pallbearers will be Todd Essary, Russell Essary, Paul Essary, Wayne Ishee, Kyle Westfall, Jeffery Cook, John David Cook, Matthew Ishee, Brandon Brooks, and Ricky Brooks.

Condolence calls will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. today at Bailey & Foster, Palestine

http://www.palestineherald.com/obituaries/local_story_196031133.html

=====

Today was the day we said goodbye to my bubba Gayle
by Deborah Essary-Cook July 16, 2006 01:01 AM EDT

Today we had the funeral ceremony for my "BUBBA" Gayle Ray Essary. We were honored to have so many friends and relatives come to honor his life. The words that were spoken, hugs that were given (and received), smiles that were smiled, and simply the presence of so many who loved my brother so much, was so appreciated.

We laughed and we cried, we ate and we talked, we remembered and remembered and remembered.

We talked about a MAN of integrity, a MAN of principle, a MAN of knowledge, a MAN who was involved with his children, a MAN who was unafraid to take risks, a MAN who was a role model for his children, a MAN who valued hard work, a MAN who left a lasting impression on everyone who came in contact with him, and a MAN of DEEP spiritual beliefs and convictions.

This MAN was my brother and he can never be replaced but will forever be remembered, will never be forgotten but will live within us. We each will always carry Gayle in our heart. And while carrying him in our heart we will always be better people and will make better choices simply because he made a deposit in each of our lives.

He loved to research new things, to make decisions that would benefit small companies, to connect people and resources, to bring companies and in reality each of us into the future through technology and connections.

He was a man who was always for the "Underdog", he was always David and never Goliath, he was inspiring to others, and always believed that simple ordinary people could accomplish unordinary things. He always believed in the" little person " and their potential, he was a gentle GIANT who could seemingly move mountains. He was an innovator and could see and organize the details to make up the whole package, he could organize and administer (some might say control), and create order out of chaos.

He wrote where you and I as readers could see what he was seeing, hear the sounds he heard, breathe the air he breathed, and even smell what he was smelling the smells. He was an extraordinary man who in his 66 years here on earth accomplished more than 100 people will accomplish in their whole combined lives.

So in reality we are never "losing" him but just starting a journey to uncover the pieces and deposits each of us are carrying in our lives and in this journey we will be finding parts of him in each of us.

So bye for now "Bubba" but not for ever: just until we reach the finish line.

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976767361