Gayle practically grew up behind the counter at King Drug. Her father, the town pharmacist, bought the store in the 1950s, and Gayle spent her afternoons here after school finishing homework on the back couch, learning the names and faces of neighbors, and unknowingly preparing for the legacy she’d one day carry on.

Years later, Gayle became a beloved pediatrician, practicing right next door to the drug store she knew so well. When her father passed, she stepped in and took over the pharmacy, running both practices with the kind of dedication only someone born into it could bring.

She eventually sold her medical practice, but her presence at King Drug never left. To this day, she eats lunch at The Grill nearly every afternoon,  where her smile, stories, and lifelong connection to this place are still very much part of the daily rhythm.

Gayle has cared for this community in every possible way, from scraped knees and sore throats to the everyday kindnesses that never show up on a prescription pad. We are who we are because of her.