Dr. Gayle Elise Woodul

who saves animals...

What's YOUR superpower?

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Although I was originally trained as a dancer, I stopped growing when I hit 5'2" & was re-directed to vocal lessons. That led me to a long career as a part-time session singer. As far as more conventional professions, I was in Air Force Intelligence, Corporate Training, Transportation Logistics, & Psychology.

I have post-graduate degrees in Psychology & Divinity, plus degrees in Holistic Health & Metaphysics. I'm an honorary Shaman; an energy healer; & a 7th generation Reiki Master (Usui). Thankfully, I continue to learn...

Professionally, I'm quite retired - but am involved in lots of cool projects! The Universe is directing me back into music, but in a managerial role verses a performance oriented vein. I work with domestic animal rescue, rehab, & adoption/placement; politically, I'm a pacifist/activist; a fire dancer (poi); & am an administrative supervisor & participating member of the American Kitefliers Association. Who even KNEW there was a kiting association??? HA!

Yeah - I fly kites. Not little, one-handed, pee-wee kites. Big, huge, monstrous, anchor-them-to-a-tractor-or-die-tryin' kites!

http://whatthefuckhashappenedtome.blogspot.com

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American Kitefliers Association

Kiting Magazine: Fall Issue

Empty Spaces in the Sky: Gayle Elise Woodul

Gayle has left the building. A fairy tale should never end this way.

We could do everything together and be alone together as long as we were near each other everything was better.

When I first saw Gayle in person, it was at Heathrow Airport. I saw this goddess in a blue dress with a wild flowing mane of white hair. I remembered thinking “WOW – bring it on!”. The chemicals had been mixed and it was going to be explosive.

From that point on our lives completely changed. Together we had so many wonderful experiences, met so many people and our circle widened and became one. We celebrated two beautiful weddings, one in the outback of Cliddesden (UK) and the other in the outback of Granite Shoals (TX). We shared magical experiences with one another, Pedi cab rides through Paris, kite flying in Denmark, UK, Netherlands, France, and the States, music events in Austin, and many others.

True to her loving, giving, innately organizing spirit Gayle wanted to have one last pool party. It would be an opportunity to see her friends and give them a chance, as she did at the last kite festival in Enid (OK) to say goodbye. As it turned out, it was a Celebration of Life and she was there only in spirit. This gathering was mirrored on the Jolly Up kite field and Memorial flies were in many parts of Europe and the States as well. This is how she would have wanted it and she was with us all.

Most of you reading this will know of Gayle’s accomplishments in the kite fraternity. Her interests were more with people than with the kites. She was an avid listener, a collector of knowledge, and almost always, she would have an amazing anecdote to tell from a distant part of her life that would relate to the present conversation. Her laugh and smile were contagious and she would go out of her way to make your day.

Gayle and I brought out the best in each other and that gave me the opportunity to be a better person. She passed on June 9th, in her sleep, without pain and at home.

Thank you for the love, and I will see you on the other side.

Christian Baden Powell

Granite Shoals, Texas

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TRIBUTE TO GAYLE WOODUL – Sunday, June 24, 2018

This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I’m more of a “doer” than a speaker…I did not speak at the funerals for my brother-in-law, mother, father and son – all of which occurred between September 1987 and March 1989. But I could not say “NO” to speaking about our friend Gayle.

I met Gayle shortly after I moved to this area. I quickly learned that I was one of the few Democrats in Meadowlakes – actually, in all of Burnet County. Through one of the other renegades (Cristi Clement), I learned about the Highland Lakes Democratic Women – who at that time, met in a small backroom at Francesco’s Italian restaurant. That’s where I met Gayle. Yet another reason to be glad I’m a Democrat! It was an immediate deep friendship.

This amazing woman grew up in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, started dancing at age 3, auditioned and was accepted to the High School of Performing Arts in New York City at age 15, and ended up emancipating herself later that year. She was an exceptional dancer and singer, but she always thought it best to keep a “regular job” on the side. She joined the US Air Force in 1975, working in intelligence and the Strategic Air Command (SAC) for 14 years, while keeping up her sideline of doing studio singing and voice-over work, which she had begun as a teenager. During her illustrious 37 year professional singing career, she sang backup for Dolly Parton, KC and the Sunshine Band, Kool and the Gang, Hall and Oats, Phil Collins, The Police, and Michael Jackson. She was the dancer behind and just to the right of Michael Jackson in the groundbreaking Thriller video.

Somehow, along the way, in Gayle’s spare time, she managed to earn two PhD’s - in Divinity and Child Psychology. After she ended her child psychology practice – at a house across Main Street from the Marble Falls Library – Gayle graciously offered space in that house to the Democratic Women to store the items needed for their Main Street Days booth and parades. The very idea of having to haul that enormous wooden donkey any farther than from her front door…along with the tent and all of the other supplies for the booth itself…is overwhelming. Without her gracious offer, we could not have done it! Six weeks ago, she attended the April meeting of the Highland Lakes Democratic Women, now over 130 members strong. There was a long line waiting to just hug her and exchange a few words…she met each one with a big smile. No one would have guessed it would be her last meeting.

Gayle obviously has tons of friends throughout this area, the country and the world. The word “kite” doesn’t begin to describe the majesty and beauty of the enormous pieces of art that are flown at national and international kiting events. She got into kiting in 2000. She didn’t do a lot of the actual creation and construction of the enormous kites, but she organized and made all the arrangements for the festivals, which always went off without a hitch under Gayle’s oversight. She traveled the world in support of this “hobby”! And that is how – in August of 2012 - she met Christian in England…the most wonderful event in both of their lives. They were married in 2015.

I’ve never been to a huge kite festival myself, but my daughter and I were lucky enough to get a small taste of the beauty and majesty of “kiting” when Christian packed a relatively small version to fly on the beach when we all went to Puerto Vallarta on vacation in June of 2017. He taught Leanne to fly it on the beach and she may have caught a bit of the kiting bug herself. Months later, Leanne and I took Leanne’s godson with us to a festival in this area.

Despite what must have been physically and mentally challenging treatments for her cancer, Gayle did NOT slow down at all until her last few days. Even then, she was planning a party for today (June 24th)!

I will always love and miss Gayle and her boundless spirit.