Gayle (Stiver) Harris

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Gayle (Stiver) Harris

Sat, 11/28/2020 - 15:17
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Gayle A. (Stiver) Harris, 81, died peacefully September 22, 2020 at her home in Lakewood, Colorado, of cancer, with friends and family in attendance.

She was born Gayle Annette Stiver on May 3, 1939 in rural Kay County, Oklahoma, the 5th child of Oliver (O.T.) & Helen Stiver.

The family moved to the Springdale, Arkansas area in 1943, where she attended elementary school.

They returned to Ponca City in 1950, where Gayle attended Ponca City schools until graduating from Ponca City High School, Class of 1957.

She moved to Wichita, Kansas where she became a bookkeeper, and married Oscar E. (Earl) Gilmore in 1958.

They had one son, Joe Gilmore.

She was widowed in 1969, and later married W. Mansfield Harris, who died in 1973.

Having been interested in nutrition, herbs, and supplements for some time, Gayle moved to the small town of Leoti in western Kansas in 1974 and opened a natural food store, which was unheard of at the time in a small, rural community but became popular with customers from a large surrounding area.

She moved to Lakewood, Colorado in 1978 and worked in construction for over 30 years, becoming a residential and commercial estimator and project manager.

Her last occupation was as a petroleum landman doing mineral title research.

Gayle was a lifelong Christian belonging to the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers Charles Stiver (in infancy), Roger (Donna) Stiver, and Joe (Carol) Stiver.

Survivors include her son Joe Gilmore, also of Lakewood, Colorado, brother Richard (Glenda) Stiver, of Elkhart, Kansas, brother Gary (Marilyn) Stiver, of Curtis, Nebraska (who then died November 8, 2020), and nieces and nephews.