Gayle Ann McHenry passed away on March 22nd, 2026 in Navarre, Ohio after a three year battle with pancreatic cancer. Gayle was born on October 9, 1959 in Massillon, Ohio to Gene Stauffer and Shirley Osborne Stauffer who have since passed along with her grandparents who owned the house she later bought in 2005 and made her forever home.
She graduated from Perry High School in 1978 and went on to get her STNA license and spent most of her life caring for other people in nursing homes and as a home health aide. She cared about the people she took care of deeply and always went above and beyond, sometimes caring for them off the clock and building genuine friendships with them and their families. She was an avid gardener that enjoyed growing veggies and spent countless hours canning everything she grew. She enjoyed baking and would gather whoever she could (mostly the kids in her life) to help bake over 100 christmas cookies to hand out to friends and family, and her famous banana and zucchini bread recipes will live on forever. She loved to read and spent a lot of time doing crosswords and other puzzles. She loved going to church on Sundays with her brother and his wife. She is survived by her two daughters, Melissa Smith of Applecreek and Melinda Johnson of Orrville, along with her five grandchildren, Reina Stoler, Mariah and Makenzie Diaz, Mayson Johnson, and Mavryck Shobe.
She is also survived by her two brothers, Gene Stauffer of Massillon, and Kevin (Christine) Stauffer of Massillon. She also left behind her extended family, her beloved friends and her spoiled rotten dachshund, Sassy who was her best friend.
Her love for her family was the main reason why she fought so hard and she will be missed more than words could ever say. Services are to be determined and the family will let everyone know at a later date.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

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