Martha Stewart

Martha G. Stewart, 73, of Fort McCoy; passed away Friday, July 30, 2021.  She was born January 25, 1948, at S. Pittsburg, TN; to Joseph Daniel Vaughn and Flora Athene Vaughn.

Gayle was a loving mother, grandmother, sister, neighbor, and friend.  While she kept her circle small, it was fierce and you knew you were loved.

She was a stellar cook.  Not only did she work in many restaurants throughout her years, she owned and ran several as well.  You never visited her at one of her restaurants or her home and left hungry.  Lest we never forget, she was the original “Martha Stewart.”

A strong-minded and outspoken person, Gayle told it like it was. Even if it may have been something you didn’t want to hear at the time, it usually ended up being what you needed to hear. She cared deeply for her family and would do anything for them, whether it was going out of the way to fix that favorite meal for her kids the day they came to visit, sending the exact items you told her you wanted for Christmas in a package when you couldn’t come home that year, just to make sure you felt like you were there or teaching a recipe to a grandchild. She knew the ones she loved and could always tell when something was up. For most, it may have been the look on your face or the tone in your voice. But if you let Gayle tell you, she would say “You know I have ESP”.

She was preceded in death by her husband Gale Edward Stewart, her parents, and several siblings.  She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Jennifer Stewart of Springdale, AR; son and daughter-in-law, Danny and Juretta Stewart of Deridder, LA; and daughter Nevada Stewart of Fort McCoy, FL; eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, sisters Wilma Bennett, Joyce Harjung and Pamela Payne.

The family will have a private memorial at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, donations in Gayle’s memory may be made to UF Shands Heart Transplant Program Funds ( https://donate.giving.ufhealth.org/give/244715/#!/donation/checkout )