Gayle playing the spoons
A few days ago I learned long time Blind Pig reader Gayle Larson passed away.
We first met Gayle when the girls were on a clogging team that Gayle assisted with. Right away we became fast friends. Even though she was much older than the girls and me, we had much in common.
She led an amazing life! Gayle never really talked about all the various things she’d done other than telling about her dance experience as she taught the team new steps.
I remember several years ago our local paper The Cherokee Scout did a feature story about her. I was floored to learn of all the things she’d done during her life.
Gayle and Tor didn’t have any children and sadly he passed away almost two years ago. I remember Gayle left a comment saying she was now an elder-orphan since most of her family had also passed away and the ones left were ones she didn’t really know.
We invited her to spend last Thanksgiving with us and I think she really enjoyed it. She was planning on coming back for Christmas but at the last minutes friends from Pennsylvania decided to visit her.
Over the years she offered great support for anything we did. She came to concerts, encouraged the girls to keep dancing and to follow their dreams, and she read the Blind Pig every day.
Here’s a few of her comments (there were 39 pages of comments from Gayle)
- Sunday was visiting day. We went to each Aunt or Uncles house. Lots of playing, making music, and eating good food. There were 9 kids in my Dad’s family and 5 in my Mother’s so we had lots of folks to visit. They all lived within 30 miles of each other and were always glad to see you come to sit a spell.
The winters were bad in PA so we did most of our visiting from spring to fall. Also, in the summer if a crop needed to be picked we were there to help. - Now you know why I moved to Murphy, NC. I feel sad for those who never know the beauty of these mountains. I walk out onto my deck every day and thank God.
- If everyone was predisposed to sweetness what a wonderful world it would be. I have a feeling we are all born with it and then life takes some of it away. We should all look in the mirror and try to be sweeter each day. I think I will make a late New Years resolution and try to be just a bit sweeter each day.
- Sassafras was a big part of my childhood. I don’t remember a year when my father wouldn’t come home with a handful of roots and my Mother would boil up a big pot and put the tea on the refrigerator. We would enjoy it for the time it lasted and looked on it as a treat not a medicine.
- I remember my Uncle saying about someone that was a little crazy that he was “about two piglets short of a litter”.
- Great morning starter. Love those old stories. I had an Uncle Dan who was out of work during the depression so he went to preaching. He was what my Mother called a dandy. He was soon thrown out of the church after carousing with the ladies. I guess we all have a story in our history. Ain’t they great???
- Every kid in the neighborhood played mumbley-peg. For a girl I was quite good at it. We could play for hours.
- My Aunt had a goose that would commence to flog anyone who opened the gate unless she was there to open it for them. I guess he knew if she opened the gate they were welcome.
- I remember when you first started this blog and only a few of us commented. Now I feel that I should let others comment and not take up space. I still start my day with a cup of coffee and your blog. Sometimes it is on the deck with all the smells and sounds of the season. I even put a jacket and gloves on and sit there just enjoying a crisp morning with the sounds and smells of winter. You could blindfold me and put me outside and I could tell you what season it is. You know how I feel about you and your family and how much I enjoy hearing what the girls are up to. Love to you all and I will continue to love your blog. Especially the Sunday songs. Now I will shut-up and let others tell you how much they appreciate you and what you are doing.
Obituary
Gayle Bornman Larson, age 83 of Murphy, passed away Friday, April 14, 2023 in a Murphy hospital. She was a native of Dauphin, Pennsylvania. Gayle began learning music and dance from a young age, playing with her aunt and uncle in their cabin in Pennsylvania. She played the spoons, jugs, and washboard, as well as more traditional instruments such as piano, accordion, autoharp, and dulcimer. Gayle had recently won the gold medal in solo instrumentalist in the Silver Arts Games playing “Flop Eared Mule” on the spoons. Gayle began clogging at the age of four, and taught clogging locally at Tri-County Community College. She studied ballet under New York City ballet master, George Balanchine and learned tap dancing from June Taylor. She danced in several summer productions including “Oklahoma” and turned down an audition with the Rockettes. She continued to dance and take and teach dance classes throughout her life. She met many stars and appeared in the “Route 66” television program.
Gayle had worked with the ambulance service and fire department, served on city council and was mayor in Dauphin, Pennsylvania. Gayle owned and operated the Circle G Bar in Dauphin for 18 years. She later built a facility beside her bar where she hosted weddings, banquets, and other various parties.
She was the daughter of the late James Henry and Esther Alice Smec Bornman and was preceded in death by her longtime companion, Victor “Tar” Zeigler. She was also preceded in death by a brother Henry Bornman.
She is survived by several close friends, Jim Fisher, Jeff Bailey and wife, Dawn, Sharon Wilson and husband, David, Sandra Goss and Vivian Shell.
An inurnment will be held at Rolling Green Cemetery in Camphill, Pennsylvania at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in memory of Gayle Bornman Larson be made to Shriner’s Hospital, 950 West Faris Rd., Greenville, South Carolina 29605
Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy is in charge of arrangements.
I know lots of folks will miss Gayle and I know Blind Pig & The Acorn was made a better place by her contributions and support.
Last night’s video: Missing Pap Today & Sharing the Story of My Favorite Fiddle Tune.
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Ms. Gayle sounds like another fine example of just how life is supposed to be lived, with purpose & value which it appears she done just that. I would have loved to have met her in person, but she has left behind a legacy that has touched us all and will continue to do so in years to come. Thanks Miss Tipper for sharing this tribute of Ms. Gayle!
Praying for God to grant peace & comfort to everyone that knew her & loved her.
RIP Mrs. Larson! What a wonderful legacy you leave behind. May you find your family in heaven with Jesus there to welcome you home! I’m sorry to hear you lost your wonderful friend, Tipper. I’ve been nothing but troubled first and then working since I got my head off the pillow this morning. Much respect and prayers.
I’m so very sorry for the loss of such a wonderful friend! May you all be comforted by the many wonderful memories you have with her. Prayers for all who knew and loved her!
Tipper, you ’bout made this old man cry with your lament about your Dad. He was a remarkable man I never knew, but know that he was because of the daughter and sons he raised and the impact he had on his community. You will never get completely over his loss, but it will get better if you focus your pain on all the good things and good times you had with him. I lost my Pa 59 years ago last January when I was but 21 years old. Losing such a pillar in one’s life is always hard to endure.
In the last 4 years I have lost 3 brothers, a sister, 2 sisters-in-law, and 2 brothers-in-law. All were dearly loved and are sorely missed. As Ron Stephens said, it sometimes seems those losses come like snow flurries.
You told the story of Katie’s inspiration and her composition, Spider Web Canyon, beautifully. I had heard her play it but the orchestral rendition was beautiful. What talented young women, you raised!
Blessings to all . . .
Lovely tribute to a very special lady. She can now rest easy with the Lord. We were blessed to have her for as long as we did.
What a beautiful tribute to her and what she meant to your family. Sounds like she touched many people’s life with the gifts she had and they hopfully will pass that on to others along with the memories and stories about her. I am sorry for the loss of your family friend.
I wish I had known her. She sounds like a wonderful woman. So sorry for your loss.
I am so sorry for the passing of your friend. What a wonderful life she lived. I remember reading some of her comments here and since she was a part of our Blind Pig family, it’s a loss to us all. God bless Gayle and may she rest in peace.
Gee, Gayle is surely a friend I didn’t get to meet on this side of heaven. How precious, Tipper, to highlight her life on your blog that meant so much to her. And thank you for your video telling of your Daddy’s lasting legacy known in so many lives and Katie’s beautiful inspired fiddle tune.. I’m better for it.
Awww…. So sorry for the loss of your friend. It sounds like she lived a wonderful life. May she RIP.
So sorry to hear of the loss of your dear friend and mentor.
What a wonderful woman! All the time you knew her, she blessed you. You did not learn of her great achievements until later, because she apparently never bragged of them. God surely watched over this lovely woman who said, “I walk out onto my deck every day and thank God.” She was a part of our Blind Pig family, and she shows the quality of character of your followers. RIP our friend.
My heart goes out to you, the girls and her life long friends for the loss of dear friend Gayla. Her obituary was beautifully written and shows her life was full of great accomplishments along with having so many outstanding friendships. Prayers for comfort and peace that only God can give during these times of grief. I am truly sorry for the loss of your sweet friend Gayla.
What an amazing lady! I’m sorry for the loss of your friend.
Remember how birthdays seem to come like snow flurries? The other side of that odd coincidence must be that partings tend to be that way to. We never get done, it seems, to having to adjust to changed and changing conditions. Still, you have 39 pages that make, I’m guessing, a pretty good self-portrait of Gayle. It is clear a lot of folks will have cause to miss her. And that is the best legacy she could leave.
God puts people in our lives for a reason. We often don’t realize it at the time, but after that person passes on, we can often clearly see God’s plan. Tipper, just think of the many things you and your girls learned and experienced by knowing Gayle and including her in your lives.
And,Tipper, I think you said Gayle didn’t have children. And at some point, she lost her husband. When you invited her to and included her in your family events and celebrations, you, in a sense, became a second family for her. You gave her a sense of belonging and a reason to get out of bed and live her life. Your lives were greatly impacted and enriched by each other. What a blessing for her and you and your girls and other family members! Your blog also became an important facet of her life. It gave Gayle a reason to face each day as she eagerly awaited the day’s blog topic. I bet it also made her morning coffee taste even better. And it gave her an outlet for sharing her opinions, memories, and thoughts with the many others who read your blog. (I feel the same way about the blog. I can’t wait to read it every morning. I’m amazed at how you come up with so much information !) I know you
feel blessed because your life’s path crossed with that of Gayle Bornman Larson.
Everyone we encounter in our travels leaves a mark, some for the better some for the worse. Always strive for the better. God Bless Gayle.
God comfort those that loved Gayle, ✝️❤️
Sorry for your loss. Prayers for her friends and family
So sorry for the loss of your friend….but what a sweet memorial you’ve shared with us. I feel I know Gayle just a bit. Thank you for sharing and may you continue to recall and enjoy many precious memories of her.
Sad to read this morning of our world’s loss of another talented, industrious woman. She blessed the lives of your family in many ways and her memory will continue to do so. RIP, Gayle.
She sounds like a wonderful adventurous lady. I am sorry you lost your friend. I would have loved to know her.
Sorry to hear of you and your families dear friend passing away. I know y’all will miss her.
Hi Tipper,
I am sorry your beloved friend passed away. Our lives are made richer by our friends and our families.
The picture you attached to your article about her was so nice. I admire ladies who can keep a white
apron so clean and fresh. I can’t keep a white blouse fresh and clean looking let alone an apron.
I’m glad you and your girls plus your family got to know such a talented lady who also loved our beloved
mountains. Spring is such a beautiful time of the year. I hope she was able to see the daffodils and violets bloom this spring. I also hope her service and burial are near where she lived so all her friends, young and old, can visit and celebrate her life with her family.
Much love,
Kathy Patterson
What a testament to a long and eventful life she had and what a Blessing that you guys were friends. Not everyone is Blessed with talented friends and relatives. You are helping her legacy to continue by sharing how and when you and the girls were involved in her life. Not everyone is so Blessed. When I look back at my years on this good ole earth, I realize how uneventful my life has been compared to hers. Thanks for allowing us to know Gayle thru your eyes. God Bless.