Palestine High School Alumni Association

06 / 23 / 1940  –  07 / 12 / 2006

Services for Gayle Ray Essary, 66, of New York, and formerly of Palestine, will be at 3 p.m. Saturday July 15, 2006 at the Grace & Truth Gospel Tabernacle with the Rev. Robert Guthrie, the Rev. Johnny Cook, the Rev. Deborah Cook, and Paul Essary officiating. Burial will follow in Broyles Chapel Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Bailey & Foster, Palestine.

Mr. Essary died Wednesday at Seton Medical Center in Austin.

He was born June 23, 1940 in Electra, Texas to the well known evangelist the Rev. Willerson Essary and Lena Essary (Eads).

For many years Gayle traveled with his father ministering with such well known national evangelistics as Jack Coe, Donald Skelton, Gordon Lindsay and many others. Mr. Essary graduated from Palestine High School in 1956, at the young age of 15. He later graduated from Tyler Jr. College at the age of 17 where he served as president of the student body. Mr. Essary became a reporter for the Tyler Star at age 19 and was the youngest newspaper reporter in the state.

He ran many political campaigns and has been editor and founder of many magazines. He was currently CEO of InvesTrend Communications, Inc. He was also known for his sense of humor and his knack for always seeing the details and putting everything into perspective. Although he lived in many places he always considered Palestine to be home.

Mr. Essary was preceded in death by his father the Reverend Willerson Essary, founder of Grace and Truth Gospel Tabernacle, his mother and step father Lena and Billy Eads and older brother and younger sister.

Gayle is survived by his four children Todd Essary of New York, NY, Lisa Westfall of Austin, Russell and Melanie Essary of Rego Park, NY, Linda Essary the mother of Russell and Melanie Essary. He is also survived by his Mom Etta Bell (Armstrong Essary) Guthrie and her husband Reverend Robert Guthrie of Palestine, his sister and her husband Reverends Johnny and Deborah (Debbie) Gail Essary-Cook of Forney, his brother and his wife Paul and Doenye Essary of Deer Park, three grandchildren Kyle Westfall, Matthew Ishee and Mary Elizabeth Ishee, two nephews the Reverend Jefferey and Shekinah Cook of League City, John David Cook of Palestine, two great nieces Rebekah Cook of Forney and Orfhlaith (Orla) Cook of League City, and one great nephew John Jeremiah Cook of Forney.

Pallbearers will be Todd Essary, Russell Essary, Paul Essary, Wayne Ishee, Kyle Westfall, Jeffery Cook, John David Cook, Matthew Ishee, Brandon Brooks, and Ricky Brooks.

Condolence calls will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. today at Bailey & Foster, Palestine.

Source: Palestine Herald-Press 07-14-2006