Gayla Marie (Mayfield) Rapp

My mom, Linda (then Creamer), and Gayla became very close friends in the late 70s, early 80s, and as such, Deanna was my first best friend. I have countless, albeit fuzzy, memories of spending time with them, with Gayla’s parents (Charles was very fond of the peel of an orange, boasting about it’s nutrients) and sister (I think Jill was responsible for getting Deanna and I our first “brahrs” as we called them). I can remember Gayla and mom singing to the music of the time… Barry Manilow, Anne Murray, Donna Summers- all a soundtrack to that part of my life.

I can still hear Deanna’s laugh in my mind’s ear “something like ahuyer- ahuyer- ahuyer”- there’s not a spelling that can duplicate it, but if you’ve heard it, you know what I mean. I can still remember the smell of the macaroni and cheese that our babysitter Norita would make for us after school. I can remember the countless hours of Three’s Company and Duke’s of Hazard she and I watched, and don’t get me started on how many times we watched Grease. Lance and Gayla moved away, and then mom and I did the same, and we grew up and away from each other…Years later, I was visiting Mom and Gayla called. Deanna was with her and I got to talk to her for the first time in maybe 15 years. She was gone shortly afterwards. Another light snuffed out.

During Covid, Gayla reached out about how Deanna had always wanted to write a children’s book and have Gayla illustrate it. She thought given my background (amateur singer songwriter), perhaps I could help do this in Deanna’s memory. We never got around to it, though. That’s regretful for sure…

In November, my mom was suddenly and unexpectedly diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and when I reached out to let Gayla know, they resumed a more regular cadence of conversation that had fallen stagnant over the years (as many do). With Gayla’s diagnosis, this became a different conversation between the two of them. I am wrecked to know Gayla is gone but at the same time so very grateful that they were able to reunite in these last few months, even if not in person.

So to Jill and Gary; Shana, Cara, Evan, and Jenna; and Ron- to Sue and mom, to anyone who knew her, my heart just breaks for you. I know how very loveable and full of light she was and I hope some of these fuzzy memories will inspire you to put an old record on, turn it up loud, sing along, and smile. That’s one thing our Gayla surely knew how to do…