David Gayton

David was born on August 15, 1958 in Rome, GA, to the late Herbert Lee Gayton and Mary Jo

Brooks Gayton.

Growing up David and his brother, Andy were always involved in sports whether it was little

league baseball, coached by their dad, or football. David loved the outdoors hunting deer and

dove with his Dad, Grandfather Brooks, Andy, cousin Jeff and later with his nephew Brooks.

David later developed a love for horses and at one point left Cartersville and his profession to be

a cowboy on a ranch in Montana.

David graduated from Cartersville High School in 1976, where he played defensive lineman on

the football team. After graduating, he attended Jacksonville State University in Alabama,

where he also played football and was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and served as

pledge director. David was a talented stylist/barber and spent many years at Vann Michael

Salon in Buckhead, GA and later moved back to Cartersville to offer his services to the residents

of Bartow County. He most recently served clients at Headlines Hair Salon with Lee Atkins.

In addition to sports, hunting and his always constant jokes, David inherited an artistic ability

from his mother Mary Jo, to create abstract paintings using oil and acrylics; a talent also shared

by his sister Jody. David loved his family heritage and history, never missing the annual Knox

family reunion often inviting clients and friends to attend.

In addition to his parents, David is preceded in death by his brother, Thomas Andrew “Andy”

Gayton.

Survivors include his loving wife, Cindy Castleberry Gayton; sister, Jody (Rodney) Grizzle;

nephews, Brooks (Roxanne) Gayton, Joshua and Jonathan Grizzle; niece, Mallory Gayton;

great-nieces, Layla, Skyla and Sadie Jo Gayton; sister in law, Linda Trusnovic Gayton Caya; aunt,

Evelyn Wiggins; cousins, Jeff Wiggins and his family, Jennifer Wiggins Matthews and her family;

step-sons, John (Jaclyn) Fleischer and Carl Fleischer; step-daughters, Jamie Fleischer and her

son, Parker Yankovich, Rachael Fleischer and her daughter; er Elizabeth, and Jaclyn (Corey)

Barnam.

David was a member of Cartersville First Baptist Church. A Celebration of Life Service will be

conducted at two o'clock in the afternoon on Thursday, the 13th Of January, 2022 in the chapel

of Owen Funeral Home with Rev. Danny Barker officiating and long time friend, Vann Council

providing the eulogy. Interment will immediately follow in Rowland Springs Baptist Church

Cemetery with Rev. Joe Ringwalt officiating.

Serving as pallbearers are Brooks Gayton, Joshua and Jonathan Grizzle, John and Carl Fleischer

and Lee Atkins.

Honorary pallbearers include the Cartersville High School class of 1976 Football team and

members of the Jacksonville State University Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o'clock in the evening until

seven on Wednesday, the 12th of January, 2022 at Owen Funeral Home.

Memorial donations may be made in David's honor to Save The Horses at

www.savethehorses.org.

Please visit www.owenfunerals.com to post tributes and sign the on-line register.

Owen Funeral Home, 12 Collins Dr., Cartersville, GA 30120 has charge of the arrangements.