Gayle "Lynn" Myers

Gayle Lynn Wainwright Myers, affectionately known as Lynn, was born on January 6, 1940, to Jack and Enda (Peterson) Wainwright in Deer Park, WA. Growing up on the family Appaloosa horse farm, Lynn developed a passion for riding and became active in 4-H Club, where she honed her skills in cooking, sewing, and horsemanship. She graduated from Riverside High School in 1958.

Lynn broke new ground as the first woman rodeo announcer for the All-Women’s Rodeo Association and served as a timer at numerous local rodeos. She also worked intermittently at Tri-County Hospital in Deer Park for a decade. As a single mother of three, Lynn transformed her sewing talent into a successful business, crafting everything from western shirts to wedding gowns and offering ironing and alteration services. One of her proudest achievements was sewing suits for the Forrest Pavilion crew for Expo '74.

Lynn’s community involvement was extensive. She read water meters for Colbert Water, cooked for the Bishop Topel Center and a women's church camp, and was an active member of several organizations. At Spokane #2 Eagles, she served as Auxiliary President, State Chairman of Charities, District Deputy, Secretary/Treasurer, Trustee, and President.

A devoted member of the Deer Park Gospel Opry, Lynn found joy in old country gospel music and shared this love with her community. She coordinated alumni events for Riverside High School for over twenty years, helping to foster lasting connections among classmates.

In 1979, Lynn began a new chapter as a para-educator for the Mead School District, working with visually impaired and special needs students for nearly 40 years. She learned braille, typing, and setting translations to support her students, becoming their biggest advocate and earning the 'Classified Employee of the Year' award in 2015. Lynn retired in 2017 after 38 years of dedicated service.

Lynn was deeply patriotic and proud of her family’s military service. She supported various events honoring military personnel and understood the sacrifices involved in maintaining freedom. Her generous spirit extended to countless individuals, earning her the affectionate title of "Mom" from exchange students, her own students, and friends alike.

Lynn’s life was a tapestry woven with resilience, a love for sewing and cooking, an infectious smile, and unwavering faith. She brought joy through her laughter, stories, jokes, and words of inspiration, and her love for penguins mirrored her own tenacity and grace. Lynn is preceded in death by her father Jack, mother Enda, grandson Joshua, and brother Dale. She is survived by her children: Rob (Suzy) Coffman of Cocoala, ID; Sheri (Wayne) Deist of Spokane; Jerry (Kelli) Myers of Spokane; Cousin Larry Wainwright of Deer Park; nieces Salli (TJ) Rueschenburg and Mimi Murphy of Spokane; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

In loving memory, we honor Lynn's legacy, cherishing the moments we shared with her and the indelible mark she left on our hearts.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, June 15, at 10 am, at Colbert Chapel located at 4922 E Burnhill Rd, Colbert, WA.

To honor her memory, in lieu of flowers, consider a gift to Hospice of Spokane, Cancer Can’t (www.cancercant.com), Spokane Heart Association, or STIX Diabetes Programs.