Gayle LaPearle

Gayle Marie Corsi was born on 19 Jul 1945 to Clarence Doyle Corsi and June Eggleston in Afton, Wyoming. She came home to a dairy farm and a sister Cleone. She was a middle child after Clayton was born in 1949.

Gayle was always athletic. Baseball, basketball, volleyball, swimming - she dd them all and did them well. She earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1969. She taught PE in an elementary school in Astoria, Oregon, after her graduation from BYU.

Gayle attended Etna Elementary School through the sixth grade - going to Star Valley Junior High in the seventh..

She grew up on a dairy farm 3 miles north of Etna, WY, where she gained a strong work ethic from her dad and mom. She played kid games that were common for the day - Annie I Over, Tag, No Bears Out Tonight, Red Rover.

During a 4-H camp in Alpine, Wyoming, she met a girl from Afton, who became one of her lifelong best friends, Karen Kellersberger. In Junior High, they added Rose Thurman and Mary Kay Izatt to their group. Gayle felt very blessed in having these three as her special friends all her life.

It was during her formative years that she made a decision to be an active, participating member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was devoted to the church. She received several individual awards as a young woman by attending all her meetings and completing the requirements. There was no rebellion in her heart. She was compliant and loved the church and gospel.

She filled several church jobs: early morning seminary teacher in Oregon, Relief Society teacher, and teacher of Primary boys; Relief Society Counselor; a missionary calling to be a docent at the Church History Museum downtown Salt Lake City from 2012 to 2020. She especially liked working with the children who came to the Museum telling them stories and showing them the artifacts that were there.

During her teenage years at Star Valley High School, she took an opportunity to encourage intramural sports for girls. She instigated a half court basketball tournament. She said it was believed that girls didn’t have the stamina of boys so half court it was. Her senior year she was on the Seminary council. The advisor trusted her implicitly, loaning her his car so she didn’t have to ride the activity bus. She became a PepStar, the pep club at Star Valley High School, her senior year.

Gayle and Cleone were the first women in their extended families to earn bachelor’s degrees; Gayle’s from BYU in 1969.

She taught elementary school in Astoria, Oregon, before coming to the Salt Lake Valley, where she was employed first by Bowers Construction that built only LDS churches, then for a company that built only LDS temples, before going to Allstate Insurance Company, where she became a manager of claims units. Allstate used her as a trainer where she applied her teaching skills. She retired from Allstate at age 66.

Gordon LaPearle came into her realm when she was in her 40th year; they were married April 17, 1985, in the Salt Lake Temple.

Preceding her in death were her husband Gordon R LaPearle and her mother and father. Surviving her are her sister Cleone (Dwight) Barrus of Fairview, WY, and a brother Clayton Corsi of Etna, WY; Gordon’s daughters Siobhan (Bill) Eith) of Aurora, CO, and Chantell (Blake) Slaughter of Glendale, AZ, and Gordon's sons, Wayd (Eileen); and Todd (Rose) La Pearle of San Jose, CA; eleven grandchildren, and two great granddaughters.

Funeral services will be held 12 September 2026 at 11 am in the Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home, 1007 W South Jordan Pkwy, South Jordan, UT 84095. Viewing will be from 9:45-10:45. Burial will be in the South Jordan Cemetery.