Gayle Audrey Kubo, age 69 of Sugar Land, TX, formerly of Allen Park, Michigan, died on February 10th, 2003.  She was born on November 25th, 1933 to Aurthur and Leocadia Bronner in Detroit, Michigan.  Gayle taught 2nd grade for 19 years in the Houston area.  She was an active member of Faith lutheran Church, loved to travel with family, visit friends, and spend a lot of time playing with her grandkids.  She loved to read, bowl, swim, and hug her family.  She is survived by her best friend Christine Costa, her two daughters Gabriele Dannemiller and Kerri Brand and their husbands Scott and Owen, her grandkids Joshua and Abby Brand, her godchild Michelle Harrison and her husband Michael and daughter Lauren.  She will be missed, but her spirit remains with us.

For Mom
By Gabby Dannemiller
2/13/2003

Certainties in life.  Some things you just grow up your whole life knowing.. that the sky is blue,  grass is green and that your mom loves you.  For me and for my family, that’s my mom.  Family and her love for the Lord were always her first thought in the morning and her last at night.  She loved to be with us in anything we did.  She was known by many names, Mom, Ma, Mama, Granny, Auntie Gayle, Granny Gayle, Momma Kubo (to so many of my friends), the old raisin, and just plain ole Gayle with a “Y”.  I think this says so much about her and how she made everyone feel.  Those that knew, her knew they had a friend for life and someone in their corner.  She’d always be there to make you laugh and to hug you.  For a little lady, she sure could give a good squeeze.

If there’s one thing I know about my mom, she wanted all of us to be happy.  She loved to laugh and to make lude comments.  Owen was so happy the day I told everyone I was engaged, not because of my life long happiness so much as for the fact that now there’d be another man around for Mom and Aunt Chris to harass and embarrass. 

She loved her grandkids more than life itself.  If there is anyone I play second fiddle to it’s Abby and Josh and I’m just fine with that.  They are my mom’s joy and legacy just like us.  Abby has taken on Mom’s crazy sayings like “Geez OH PETE” and “Gas bubble” Mom’s replacement phrase for passing gas.  Ones that will also live on in Aunt Chris and Mickey is Mom’s never-ending need to put an “S” behind her favorite store names and businesses– TargetS, WalmartS, and FordS.  We always had a good time with that one.  Josh on the other hand, well Mom passed on her love for reading.  He can tear up a good book just about as fast as the pro and isn’t afraid of any size book.  He can’t wait for the new Harry Potter to come out and will probably have it read before most kids even get to buy it.  Mom loved to have them and Lauren over to play in the playroom, to watch TV in her bed with her, jump on the trampoline and to talk.  We’ll miss you Granny.

I think if there is one thing I’d leave you with today, it’s that Mom was really happy and never a day in her life was she old.  At 69, she could outlast all of us and holds the world title for being the longest talker.  She was always thinking of others and never herself.  She lived her life to its fullest always taking in the stray cats and kids and loving everyone that needed it.  She was at peace with her relationship to God and told us several times this past weekend, “Now you know, it’s written in the Bible that in the book of Life, the day you were born and the day you would die.  I’m ready.”  She really wants us all just to have a good laugh today and to remember her.

I also know my mom would not have left this Earth if she did not feel like Kerri and I were taken care of.  She was so proud of her son-in-laws.  She was always talking about how smart Owen is and what a perfect match he was for Kerri. And what a great dad he is.  She’d call him all the time to help around the house and knew he’d always be there even if it was only to end up in tears of laughter. 

One day she called saying, “Owen, the Spanish people are talking to me!” She was certain she’d done something wrong with her new DVD to make it have all the channels speak Spanish.  So O drove over to her house only to see that she had it on the Spanish channel.  She laughed so many times with him and he is so special to her. 

Now Scott, well, he’s a whole ‘nother story.  Mom always told me not to settle and just a couple of weeks ago we were on the phone and she said, “Ya know Honey, when I told you not to settle I knew you never would but I never dreamed you’d do this good!”  She loved Scott’s big hugs and how he’d let her hug him whenever she wanted, his long stories because they probably reminded her of herself and his love of music.  We just haven’t figured out how to mail a CD to heaven so she’ll have a copy of his wedding song. 

Well Mom here’s to you and all you gave me: love, confidence, friendship, laughter, a sense of loyalty, love of Christ, happiness, independence, an awesome baby sister and a wonderful god mother who has to be one of the best huggers God ever made.  I’ll miss you but I know you’ll be with me everyday and I look forward to seeing you again!