It is with a heavy heart that we announce the death of our mother, Gayle Elaine Crawford Baldwin, of Dallas, Texas. She passed away at the age of 83, on her birthday, November 5, 2024.

Gayle was born just over the Kansas state line, on November 5, 1941, in Arkansas City, Kansas, to Elvis Haston Crawford and Marjorie Jean Carr. Although she spent most of her adult life in Texas, her beloved Oklahoma is where she grew up and where her affections remained. She spent her early childhood on a farm in Newkirk with her precious grandmother Grace, before moving to Ponca City for her school years. Gayle identified especially with the 'pioneer spirit' and was proud of her family history and heritage in the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889.

Graduating from Ponca City High School in 1959, Gayle attended Oklahoma University for a short while before marrying William Lewis Baldwin, in August of 1960. They had four children and later divorced in 1976. Gayle valued learning and continued studying throughout her life, at North Oklahoma Junior College, Rutgers University, and Southern Methodist University. She was very proud of earning her Associate of Arts degree from Richland Junior College in Dallas. In 1976, at the age of 34, she was the first woman in the Community Service Officers program at the Carrollton Police Department. She later worked for 12 years at Hilton Hotels, retiring in 2004.

Gayle had a natural ability for all things creative. This was especially evident in her panache for color, and her love of music. She began playing violin in middle school and many of her fondest memories are of her orchestra years at Po-Hi. She loved to sing harmony with her sister, Carley, and they performed on the radio as teenagers in Ponca City. Dancing, notably tap, was another favorite, and she was great at it. She channeled her artistic flair by taking art and dance classes, decorating her home, creating jewelry, sculptures, and various other art endeavors. She developed a life-long appreciation of cinema - especially those films from the Golden Age of Hollywood – and was very pleased and proud of her large collection of vintage DVDs.

Faith and hope were integral to Gayle. She was raised a Presbyterian and enjoyed reading her bible, but later began studying Christian Science. It remained very important to her throughout her adult life, and she served as a reader for the 5th Church of Christ, Scientist in Dallas.

Gayle's pride and joy were her children and grandchildren. Her laughter, wry sense of humor and creative spirit will all very much be missed.

She is survived by her children: Pamela Joanne Foarde, Clark Andrew Baldwin, Lisa Gennette Achenbach, and Lewis Crawford Baldwin. She was grandmother to David Clark Foarde, Brian Joseph Foarde, Timothy (Chip) James Foarde, Taylor Brooke Foarde, Thomas Malcolm Achenbach, Anna Grace Fox, Miles Spencer Baldwin, and Sienna Anais Baldwin. She also delighted in her two nieces and nephew, the children of her beloved sister, Carley Crawford Haxel, who preceded her in death.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Family Place, at www.familyplace.org .

Click this link to visit Gayle's Personal Remembrance Page to share your cherished memories and upload photos of your time with her.