Gail Wesley York passed away on April 11, 2012 at Brownwood Regional Hospital. He was born on May 25, 1930 in Comanche County to Brady C. and Ruby Stewart York. He grew up in Comanche and attended Comanche Public schools. Following graduation from high school, he attended John Tarleton Agricultural College (now Tarleton State University). He participated in ROTC while at Tarleton. He also attended North Texas State University (now University of North Texas) where he graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration. He continued his education at Howard Payne University and completed a Master’s Degree in Education. At Baylor University, he worked on his doctoral degree studying Philosophy. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
On August 10, 1951, he married the love of his life, Mary Gore in Comanche, Texas. She preceded him in death on April 14, 2009. He served in the United States Air Force. After graduation from North Texas, he worked at Republic National Bank in Dallas, Texas as a banker. He was then hired away from Republic by Eddie Childs to manage the purchasing department of Western Company of North America in Midland, Texas. He then began his career in education and taught in Gustine, Texas, which were among his happiest memories. He was assistant principal at Central Elementary in Stephenville, Texas, then serving as Registrar at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas and Director of Admissions and Registrar at North Texas State University in Denton, Texas. He concluded his career at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas as Director of Guidance, Counseling and Testing. He retired in 1985. In 1986, he and Mary started Comanche County Real Estate, Arrowhead Real Estate and York Appraisal Company. He and his daughter, Gala, started First Texas Telephones, Inc. and Firstel Communications, Inc., in 1990 participating in the inmate telephone business in Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Kentucky. They sold the business to AT&T in 2000. He always enjoyed keeping donkeys on his places, delighting in the new babies. He also enjoyed researching family history and was a great, great grandson of Comanche County settler and Methodist preacher, M.O. Coker. He was a World War II history buff and spent many happy afternoons with Jay Seamands, watching war documentaries and videos while having a cigar. He also enjoyed all the Sunday dinners and parties held at the home of Shannon and Debra Seay. He was the first to arrive and the last to leave. He particularly enjoyed all the milkshakes that Dale Biggs brought to the hospital in Austin.
He is survived by his daughter, Gala York Samuels and husband, Don W. Samuels of Austin, Texas. Niece Terry Seay Williams and husband Bennie Williams of Comanche, Texas; nephew, Shannon Seay and wife Debra Gunter Seay of Perryton, Texas; niece, Michelle Seay Green and husband James (Jim) Green of San Antonio, Texas; grand niece, Lana Williams of Comanche; nephews, Reggie Seay and Sid Seay of Perryton, Texas; nephews Grant Green and Colin Green of San Antonio, Texas.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary and his parents, Brady and Ruby York. Services will bee held at Heartland Funeral Home in Comanche, Texas on April 14, 2012 at 2:00 PM with interment following at Indian Creek Cemetery in Comanche, Texas, officiated by Brother Ronnie Calcote. Pallbearers are Blandon Gore, Mark Pirkle, John May, Don Ingram, Zach Ingram and Tommy Gibson. Honorary pallbearers were Gyale C. Pirkle, Dr. Zoel Allen, The Honorable James R. Arthur, Jay Seamand, and Dale Biggs.
A family luncheon will be held at his home preceding the service.
The family requests that gifts in memory of Gail York be made to the Comanche Public Library, PO Box 777, Comanche, TX 76442.
