Stephen Oval Gayle

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Stephen Oval Gayle passed from this life on September 19, 2020, at the age of 71 in Springfield, Missouri, following a motorcycle accident.
Steve was born on May 22, 1949, in Dalhart, Texas. Steve was the son of Jimmie Smith and Billie (Pinner) Smith. Steve was raised and received his education in Dalhart, and after his education, he joined the United States Army on October 18, 1968. Steve served his country proudly for nearly eight years upon his honorable discharge during the Vietnam War serving two tours.
Steve later returned stateside to Lubbock, Texas. He attended Lubbock Christian College and obtained a bachelor's degree in theology. Steve took his first full-time position in Caraway, Arkansas as an evangelist for the Church of Christ. Steve also had several other fill in positions throughout Northeastern Oklahoma and Western Arkansas. Steve was united in marriage to Margaret Lyle on November 26, 1982, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The couple later established their home in Tulsa, and Steve accepted a social worker position with the State of Oklahoma in Tulsa County in October of 1984. In 1986, Steve and Margaret moved to the Keystone Lake area of Cleveland, where they raised their two children Jon and Matt. In 2004, Steve retired from the State of Oklahoma.
Steve had a passion for riding motorcycles and driving the roads of the United States. He has traveled on numerous occasions for events and rallies. Those events were always enjoyed because he knew the outcome was to help others and establish a cause to publicize the POW-MIA issue. To educate the public that many American Prisoners of War were left behind after all previous wars and to help correct the past and to protect future veterans from being left behind should they become Prisoners of War-Missing In Action. He was also committed to helping American Veterans from all wars. This was the motto of his bike club that he was a part of Rolling Thunder, Inc. During times Steve was not riding, he loved going to visit family and friends. Steve was a 20-year member of the Westport Fire Department and served on the town council property owners association and longtime Assistant Scout Master/Merit Badge Counselor. Steve has also been a longtime member of the Church of Christ in Cleveland.
Survivors include his wife Margaret of the home; two sons Jon Gayle of Talala, Oklahoma, Staff Sergeant Matthew Gayle, USAF of Warrensburg, Missouri; three siblings Mark Oney of Lubbock, Texas, Debbie Ellis of Woodstock, Georgia, Todd Smith of Lubbock, Texas; two grandchildren Ezra and Geoffrey and a host of other relatives and friends that will mourn his passing. Steve was preceded in death by his parents and a brother Joe Bill Oney.
Services will be held 10:30 am, Saturday, September 26, 2020, Doug Dingley officiating the services. Burial will be held in the Woodland Cemetery at Cleveland, Oklahoma, under the direction of Chapman-Black Funeral Home. Friends and family may visit an online guest book and memorial page for Stephen at www.chapman-black.com.
Pallbearers will include Matt Gayle, Jonathan Gayle, Mark Oney, Todd Smith, Fred Wiggins and Phillip Spess.

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