Gayle Bach

Gayle Bach died on July 10, 2023, at Saint Leonard's in Centerville, Ohio, after living for several years in memory care. Gayle was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry Bach (1998), her younger brother, Robert Mathis (1995), and her elder brother, Lanny Mathis (2021). Dubbed Marjorie Gayle at her birth, June 3, 1939, she shed the Marjorie as soon as she was able and never looked back. Gayle was born in Morgan County, Tennessee, though the family soon moved to Ohio to take advantage of the jobs in wartime industries, first in Kent, then in Dayton.

Gayle attended Roosevelt High School, where she was an honor student, and where she formed lifetime friendships with women in her beloved Teddies group. At graduation, Gayle was hired by the Dayton Board of Education, where she spent her career of 30 years, first as a typist then as a buyer for most of that time.

Gayle and Jerry Bach were married in 1963 and set up house in Dayton's Belmont neighborhood. Jerry's daughter, Karen, was then a teenager. After Karen's marriage to Peter Nagle, their children provided Gayle with what she described as the best thing possible – becoming a grandmother without going through the parent stage. She was GG to her adored granddaughters, Dana and Jenna Nagle. In later years, Gayle enjoyed getting to know Karen's son, Philip Jones.

Happily retiring at 48, Gayle began a whole different life, traveling whenever possible, getting together with friends, and indulging her lifelong passion, playing cards and games. She most loved spending time at Sunset Beach, North Carolina, where she made at least annual trips. So many family stays at Sunset Beach gave us all happy memories of being with Gayle – jumping in the waves, playing charades at night, eating at our favorite places, having a wonderful time just being together. A big event for Gayle was her trip to Hawaii with Jerry. Gayle had a lifelong love of musical theater, really all life productions, and was an avid patron of Dayton theaters for many years.

After Jerry's death in 1998, Gayle found solace in her widows group. Though organized to share and heal grief, this group of women provided Gayle with many lasting friendships as the years passed, for lunches, theater and concert events, and travel.

Gayle enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and made several trips to Europe, including England, Scotland, Germany, and Austria. Those of us privileged to be with her on those voyages remember her as always eager to see whatever was there, nearly always cheerful and making the best of the inevitable frustrations of travel. She laughed along with our teasing about her insistence that she "get a shot" (a photo) to prove she had been there, dithering to get the right shoes for the day, whether to take a jacket or umbrella, and looking for teddy bears for her collection. That she wanted to get it just right endeared her to us.

Gayle is survived by her stepdaughter, Karen Nagle, granddaughters Dana Nagle and Jenna Nagle, her brother, Dallas (Judith) and her caretaking sister, Lois Greene (Andrew), along with many nieces and nephews who mourn her. The long twilight of her last years in dementia robbed Gayle and those who love her of so many more happy times, many laughs, and exploration of new places. We are glad for her release from that awful living death, while we feel profound sorrow at her loss. We are better for having known our beloved sister, stepmother, grandmother, and aunt. Rest in peace, Gayle.

A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 on August 11, 2023, at Newcomer Funeral Home Kettering Chapel, 3940 Kettering Boulevard, Kettering, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, we request that you send donations to the Alzheimer's Association, act.alz.org.