Gayle Brown

   Lenora Gayle Brown entered into eternal life on March 17, 2020.

   Gayle was born in Grafton, ND on July 13, 1937 to Verna (Tollefson) and Vernon Tisdale.  Gayle grew up and attended school in St. Thomas, ND. She graduated high school in 1955.  Gayle attended Mayville State Teacher’s College and received a Teaching Standard in 1957. She taught two years in Hillsboro, ND.

   On August 16, 1959 she married Robert Brown. Bob and Gayle moved to Great Falls, MT. Gayle taught for one year in the Great Falls School district. Their first child, Laurie, was born in Great Falls. The family returned to ND and lived in St. Thomas for a year. Alison, was born while the family lived in St. Thomas. The couples’ first son, Bradley, was born when the family returned to Great Falls. In 1965, Bob and Gayle with three children in tow, moved to Mankato, MN while Bob completed a Master’s degree.

The family moved to Mayville, ND in 1967. Lindsey was born in Mayville. Gayle ran a day care in their home for several years.

   She enjoyed cooking and baking and spoiled her children and the day care kids with homemade mac and cheese and a variety of cookies and other treats! Gayle also enjoyed sewing, crafts, and embroidery. The couple enjoyed gardening and Gayle did lots of canning and jelly/jam making. Gayle was active in her church, Mayville Congregational United Church of Christ as an officer/member of Women’s Fellowship and Sunday School teacher. She was also a 4-H and Cub Scout leader. Gayle was a driving force of Mayville State Faculty Wives and Women. For several years, she also worked for Northstar Enterprises, an electronics company in Mayville. Grandma Gayle and Grandpa Bob enjoyed attending the activities of their grandchildren and spent many hours on the road or in the bleachers cheering for their favorite athletes.

   Gayle is survived by Bob, her loving and devoted husband of more than 60 years; Laurie (Brad) Papenfuss, Portland, ND, and their children, Captain Jacob Papenfuss of Fort Drum, NY (currently deployed to Afghanistan with the US Army), and Marley (fiancé Alex Hair) Washburn, ND; Alison (Rudy) Magana, Winona, MN and their sons, Tyler, Denver, CO and Ryan, Grass Valley, CA; Brad (Kelly) Brown and their children, Riley, Haley, Owen, DeKalb, IL; and Lindsey Brown and his children Taliah and Jaxson, Wadena, MN. Gayle is also survived by 5 nieces and nephews and her brother-in-law, Rodney Brown, Crary, ND.

   Gayle was preceded in death by her parents, Verna and Vernon; mother and father-in-law, Robert and Berthina; her brother, Donald Tisdale; sisters-in-law, Marion Tisdale and Shirley Tisdale and a nephew and two nieces.

   The family would like to express their appreciation to the staff at Luther Memorial Home, Hospice of the Red River Valley, and Marion Baker for their care and compassion for the past two years.

  Memorials preferred to the Robert and Gayle Brown Scholarship Fund at Mayville State University, Hospice of the Red River Valley, or Luther Memorial Home.

Private services are being held with burial at the Mayville Cemetery in Mayville, ND.

To protect the health and safety of all, services are currently being limited as required by state and local authorities and the CDC.