Gayle Ann Cedar

Gayle Ann Cedar, the daughter Beverly O’Connor, was born March 11, 1953, in Sioux City, IA.  Her early childhood years were spent in Sioux City. The family moved to Cherokee, IA when she was in grade school and she graduated from Washington High School in 1971.  After graduation, Gayle attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Art Education.

Gayle was united in marriage to Jim Cedar on May 25, 1974, at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee. They resided in Freeman, SD where she taught K-12 Art and Spanish. They moved to Cherokee, Iowa in 1977. Gayle taught in Marcus for eight years, and in 1987 started teaching in the Cherokee Community School District until her retirement in 2010.

She was a member of the Memorial Presbyterian Church in Cherokee, where she served on the Board of Trustees and was an Elder.  Gayle was a member of Chapter EE of PEO, helped deliver meals on wheels, a board member at the Cherokee Work Activity Center, an Election Official, a member of the Chi Omega sorority, and was an active member at the Cherokee Country Club where she helped to maintain and keep the swimming pool running.

Affectionately known as Señora or Mima, she held a special place in the hearts of so many.  Gayle was an avid golfer. She spent countless summers with her children, Natalie and Mike at the golf course teaching them how to play golf and swim.  She also enjoyed quilting, calligraphy and painting. Gayle loved to travel. She always looked forward to the Spanish Club trips that she and Jim would take to chaperone her students.  She had been to every corner of Mexico and many places around the world. Gayle thoroughly enjoyed spending time at their lake house in Okoboji with countless family members and friends, whom she loved dearly.

On September 10, 2018, Gayle passed away at Unity Point Hospital in Sioux City, IA, surrounded by her family.  She was preceded in death by her dad, M.C. "Chi" Anderson; and her father and mother-in-law, Paul and Marilyn Cedar.

She will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Jim; mother, Beverly; daughter, Natalie (Jared) Barkley of Cherokee and son, Mike Cedar of Des Moines; grandchildren, Elise and Calista Erlandson and Maddox Barkley; one sister, Linda (Keith) Johnson of Cincinnati; and many other relatives and friends.

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