Gayle Madsen Cooley was born in Murray, Utah to Ernest L, Madsen and Evelyn Viola Powell Madsen on March 4, 1934 and passed away peacefully on May 10, 2026. Gayle was a fun loving woman with a keen intellect who had an enormous capacity to love. She adored learning and had true curiosity in family history. No stranger to work she was employed by her father at the family owned Madisen’s Hardware in Murray, Utah during her high school years. She attended the University of Utah and graduated with a bachelor’s degree and went on to teach for several years. Gayle married her college sweetheart Lawrence Keith Cooley and traveled throughout her marriage as Keith’s career advancement progressed. She spent some time in Seattle, Washington where she worked at the famed Space Needle during the Seattle World’s Fair. After her husband’s untimely death in 1987 Gayle became a self taught financial planner a role at which she excelled. Gayle also served for a number of years as an event planner for a noted structural engineering firm in Los Angeles, California. Later in life Gayle traveled extensively in Europe and Asia. Gayle was an avid gardener with a specialty in roses. She was also an accomplished pianist and bridge player. Gayle was a lover of life and a lover of people. Memories of her brings a smile to the faces of those that knew and loved her. Not blessed with children of her own she nonetheless adored children as was able to bond immediately with most. She is missed, remembered, and adored.