Gayle Shaw

Gayle Darline Tolman was born on September 7, 1937, in Worland, Wyoming, to Myron and Maggie Tolman. She was the youngest of seven children. As a child, Gayle loved to be on the ranch in the mountains of Wyoming, especially riding horses. She was proud of her family heritage of Wyoming ranchers. Gayle also enjoyed ice skating and playing with dogs and kitties. She gained a love for animals as a child that continued her whole lifetime.

Also in her early years, Gayle started searching for special rocks, and she never quit. Well into her 80s, you could find Gayle digging through parking lot gravel for any special finds. She had a lovely rock collection.

Gayle was very close to her older siblings and maintained those relationships throughout her life. She was raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was baptized in the Star Plunge swimming pool in Thermopolis, Wyoming. Gayle had many friends in Worland. She and her good friend Sally were the first girls in the town to get orthodontics. Gayle attended Worland High School.

Richard “Dick” Albert Shaw once told the story of how he met Gayle. He said he was playing football for Worland High School and was on the 18-yard line when he saw a pretty young lady walk past the goal line. His friend said, “I dare you to ask her out Dick.” He took the challenge and never looked back. Gayle said, “Every time Dick would come over, my dad would say ‘Oh no, it’s not that Appaloosa again’ because his hair had lots of different blonds and browns in it.”

Dick and Gayle were married on September 19, 1954. They moved around several times throughout their life living in Worland, Greybull, Denver, and Loveland Colorado. But Worland was always Gayle’s home.

There they had four children: Margaret, Rick, Sari, and Brenda. Gayle once wrote, “I am really proud of my family. Dick and I were so young when we got married and really raised each other along the way with our kids. I didn’t know anything about life, but somehow we helped to instill good values, family, love, and caring for each other.” Dick and Gayle were married 60 years when he passed away in 2015.

Gayle was able to be home to raise her children, and they remember she would put on a dress, makeup, curlers, and even high heels when it was time for Dad to come home from work. She was especially skilled and caring at helping her children with their homework. During these years, she started selling cosmetics through the Avon Company and continued well into her older years. She made many friends in her communities through selling Avon. She also loved to play bridge and had fond memories of hosting bridge parties at home. Gayle enjoyed dancing as a can-can girl for the Days of 49 celebrations in Greybull. She had friends wherever she went. In her older years, she was lovingly served by a close friend in Worland, Emma Christoffersen.

Gayle served in several callings throughout her life and taught the gospel to her children. The family was sealed together in 1970 in the Salt Lake Temple.

Gayle was known as a kind-hearted and loving woman. She loved to laugh and was filled with gratitude for those around her. Her grandchildren remember grandma’s beautiful rings, pretty painted fingernails, and chocolate candies kept all around the house.

Gayle was preceded in death by her husband Richard “Dick” Shaw; her parents Myron and Margaret “Maggie” Tolman; siblings and their spouses Myron “Dean” Tolman, Franklin Tolman, Margaret “Lyda” Tolman, Wanda Bennion, Velma Jean Tolman, and Marvin Tolman; and a grandson, Daniel Shaw.

She is survived by her children Margaret and Norm Dvorak, Rick and Mel Shaw, Sari and Robert Shepard, and Brenda and Perry Wilzbach. Her grandchildren Sarah Dvorak and Russel Jensen, Rick Dvorak, Amy and Kevin Card, and Ben and Elizabeth Dvorak; Ed Shaw, Robert and Sylvia Shaw, and Katie Salazar; Maggie and Dan Fechner, Robin and Brandon Bischoff, and R.B. Shepard; Breanne and Jorge Antezana, Joshua Wilzbach, Rachel and Chandler Gentillon, Cassia and Jacob Smith, and Isaac and Mikayla Wilzbach. She is also survived by 36 great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite animal shelter or animal rescue organization.