Gayle L. Vernon

Gayle L. Vernon, 92, of Topeka passed away Sunday, March 12, 2023.

He was born May 9, 1930 in Topeka, Kansas, the son of Louis and Pearl (Wright) Vernon. He attended a one room schoolhouse in Pauline, Kansas and graduated from Washburn Rural High School. The first in his family to go to college, he graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business. During college he was in ROTC, and after graduation he served in the United States Air Force, stationed in Limestone, Maine.

Gayle began his career at the New York Life Insurance Company, and then spent over twenty years as Medical Group Manager of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine in Topeka. Under his management the group grew from nine to twenty-five radiologists, many of whom became dear friends.

Gayle was a member of the First Congregational Church of Topeka, where he served as a moderator for many years.

Gayle served his community as a member of the Civitans, Shrine Legion of Honor, the Kaw Valley Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, and volunteered for many other good causes throughout his life. A diehard KStater, and appreciative of the start in life that KState provided him, he created a scholarship for deserving students at the KSU School of Business.

Gayle was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who was so very proud of his kids and grandkids, and often went above and beyond to help them in their lives. Having gotten a college education and knowing its importance in his life, he encouraged and helped his children to do the same. Gayle was a generous man who quietly helped countless people throughout his life. He continually worked to improve himself, constantly learning new things, keeping an open mind to new information and views. To the end of his life, he was learning about and adopting new technology. He was an inveterate optimist who was steady and dependable. Always inquisitive, Gayle was a long-time student of presidential history.

After retirement, Gayle and Alice traveled the United States, making frequent visits to Austin, Texas and Mount Vernon, Washington to visit their kids and grandkids. They traveled the world, hiking, sightseeing, and birdwatching in such places as Nepal, Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, and Mont Blanc in the Alps. Gayle enjoyed the endless variety of beautiful places and people found on Earth. He and Alice loved to visit their grandchildren and watch them grow. They once took granddaughters Clare and CJ on an epic camping trip in the mountains of British Columbia involving modes of travel from kayak to float plane.

Gayle married Alice Terry on December 11, 1955 in Topeka. She survives. Other survivors include his sister Patricia (Bill) Howard, his children, Susan (Steve) Tabor, Paula (Jim) Glackin, and Jeff Vernon; grandchildren Clare and CJ, step grandchildren Sean and Austin, and many beloved relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Gayle Louis and Alice Vernon Family Scholarship at Kansas State University to benefit undergraduate Juniors and Seniors with financial need at https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/35574/donations/new; The Gayle and Alice Vernon Scholarship at Washburn University to benefit women's athletic scholars, or a charity of your choice.

Memorial Service will be at 11:00 am on Friday, March 17, 2023 at the First Congregational Church, 1701 SW Collins Ave, Topeka, Kansas 66604. Burial with military honors will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Topeka. The family will greet friends an hour prior to the service.

To leave a message for his family online, please visit the guestbook below.