Gayle Lauderdale

Gayle Lauderdale, Franklin, IN passed peacefully at home on September 28, 2026 just two months after the passing of her beloved husband Gary. Gayle was born on March 20, 1946 in Owensboro, Kentucky. She is the daughter of the late Pauline and Delbert Fenwick. She is a graduate of Owensboro Senior High School and Kentucky Wesleyan College with a degree in commercial art. Throughout her life, she served every community she lived in through art programs.

In Owensboro, KY, she worked at Progress Printing Company as an apprentice. She helped paint murals in the children’s wing of Our Lady of Mercy Hospital and painted a mural at Settle Memorial United Methodist Church in a children’s Sunday school classroom. She helped start “Kids Are Making It” art classes for underserved children in Owensboro and taught art for the Kids on Campus program at KWC. She served as Salvation Army Auxiliary President where members hosted a chili luncheon to raise funds to buy Christmas gifts for children in need. She was quick to find creative ways to encourage community outreach. With support from Texas Gas, she hired a string quartet to play and encourage guests to come to eat and support the event. She designed and painted one of her daughter’s sorority recruitment sets for the University of Evansville. She also painted a piece for the Spouse Abuse Center in Owensboro. She also worked as a substitute teacher in the Daviess County, KY school system. She enjoyed her tennis group, gardening club and Settle Memorial Methodist Church. 

While living in Houston, TX, she designed and painted cow sculptures displayed throughout the city to benefit Texas Children’s Hospital. She also created and donated paintings to various children's charities. She was a member of the Houston Watercolor Society. She worked on projects supporting literacy for the DePelchin Children’s Center. She traveled widely with Gary, supported, and helped plan his client events.

 She retired to Isle of Palms, SC where she loved living near the ocean. She was an exhibiting member of both the Charleston Art Guild and the Mount Pleasant Art Guild and served as President of the guild from 2009-2010. She also painted and donated pieces to raise funds for the Wild Dunes Cancer Society. She organized art demonstrations, auctions and craft sales to benefit scholarships for aspiring art students. She enjoyed her golf group, the Wild Dunes Book Club, and author luncheons. She volunteered with the sea turtle patrol and supported the island’s feral cat program. She was also active at First United Methodist Church and volunteered for many years cooking for their luncheons and angel tree program. 

She later moved with her husband to Franklin, IN to be near family. She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church and loved her Thursday Bible study group. She loved her time in Franklin and participated in Art in the Park for several years where she won Best of Show during her first year of participation. She enjoyed the festivals and cutting strawberries for Strawberries on the Square. Gayle’s husband and family were her greatest treasures. She was continuously active in service activities benefiting vulnerable populations and caring for animals. Gayle is survived by her three daughters, Tonya Lauderdale Harper (Brian Dobbs) of Katy, TX; Tara Lauderdale of Richmond, TX; and Tiffany Lauderdale Phillips (George) of Franklin, IN. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Logan Harper (Sarah) of Marina del Rey, CA; Kelsey Thompson (Ian) of Birmingham, AL; Colby Harper (Samantha) of Brooklyn, NY; Kaytlin Khan (Sikandar) of Houston, TX; Jacklyn Simmer of Richmond, TX, Auden Lauderdale Phillips and Nolen Phillips of Franklin, IN; and by her great-granddaughter, Dawn Lauderdale Thompson of Birmingham, AL. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Gary Don Lauderdale; her parents; and her grandson, Jake Simmer.

Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on November 7th, 2026 at Grace United Methodist Church located at 1300 E Adams Drive Franklin, IN 46131 and will be live-streamed at www.franklingrace.org live stream service tab. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Interchurch Food Pantry of Johnson County, 211 Commerce Drive, Franklin, IN 46131 or at www.jcpantry.org and or the Humane Society of Johnson County, 3827 Graham Road, Franklin, IN 46131 or at www.hsjc.org.

Swartz Family Community Mortuary and Memorial Center, 300 South U.S 31 (Morton Street) in Franklin, IN 46131. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.swartzmortuary.com. Information 317-738-0202.

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