Gayle Marie (nee Gordy) Maness

04/09/1939 – 10/08/2024

Gayle was born on an Easter Sunday in Belle Rose, Louisiana to Olga Clare Delpesce and Linn Joseph Gordy, who have both preceded her in death. Her family moved to Houston, Texas, when she was barely six months old. She grew up mostly in the Houston Heights area, close to a lot of extended family. She attended Catholic schools for most of her school years, graduating from Incarnate Word Academy in 1957.

She started work the day after graduation at Highland Oil Company as an assistant secretary. She had gotten that job because the boss had come to her high school looking for a secretary, and the nuns recommended her.

Gayle's life plan was to be a secretary for a couple of years, and then get married and have children. And that is exactly how her life went. Gayle met her future husband, Tommy Eugene Maness, when she was 16 years old. Her young Aunt Beth, who was more like a sister than an aunt being only three years older than she was, introduced them. Tommy and Beth had been on a few dates together when Beth decided that he might be a better match for Gayle. She was obviously right since Tommy and Gayle got married within a few years and were still married on the day of Gayle's death nearly 65 years later.

Gayle is survived by many loving family members, including her husband of 64 years, Tommy Eugene Maness, and her younger sister, Elreda Gordy McNeill. She is also survived by three of her four children – Regina Lynn Frankeny and her husband Kevin, Dennis Albert Maness and his fiancé Michelle, Darrell Ray Maness and his wife Dawn. Her son and third child, James David Maness, preceded her in death a few hours after his birth in 1968. Gayle is survived also by her 10 grandchildren – J.T. Frankeny, Rachel Frankeny, Kathryn Frankeny, Steven Frankeny, Preston Maness, Tyler Maness, Patrick Maness, Warren Maness, Kaytlinn Maness, Audrey Maness and 5 great-grandchildren – Wolfgang Maness, Austin Praetorius, Max Frankeny, Lorelei Frankeny, Michael Frankeny, and by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and other extended family members and friends.