Gayle Raynette Greaver

Gayle Raynette Freiling Greaver, known to all family and friends as Raynette, passed away March 13, 2025, in her home in Barstow, CA. Raynette left us to join her husband of 43 yrs, Earl Greaver, her parents Paul and Frances Freiling, brother-in-law, John Murphy, and many other family and friends who await her arrival.

Raynette leaves behind one daughter, Liane Greaver; two sons, James and Matthew Greaver; daughter-in-law, DeeAnnia Goodson; grandchildren Skii, James Jr, and Jonathan Greaver, Michael Porter and Clarissa Flores, and great-grandson Dominik Porter. Last, but never least, Raynette's sister, Jeanne Ann Murphy, and loving little brother and sister-in-law, Michael and April Freiling, in addition to many treasured nieces, nephews, and all the cousins.

Raynette was born Jan. 15, 1948 in Hannibal, MO. The family moved to Fullerton, CA in 1962. Raynette graduated from Fullerton Union HS in 1966, and from Fullerton Jr. College in 1968. Raynette and Earl were married Feb. 17, 1968. They moved to Barstow in 1974 where they settled.

In addition to being the greatest mom ever, she was an inspirational role model for the community's many other children. She started as a parent volunteer in our classrooms, she was a girl scout troop leader, a cub scout den mother, taught Sunday school at church, and eventually worked as an elementary special education paraeducator, an administrative asst. at both the middle and high school levels, and taught adult education courses to help people learn skills to get better jobs. Her last position with Barstow Unified was as one of two student information technicians. Raynette served BUSD for 32 yrs until her retirement in 2012.

She was also a big advocate of volunteering. Not just in the classroom, but she was in the church women's group, she did environmental work with BLM, led a Relay for Life team for many years, and was a strong advocate for her fellow BUSD employees as a CSEA board member and job steward. After retirement, Raynette became involved as a board member at the senior center, made meals-on-wheels deliveries, started a local chapter of Twilight Wish, providing wishes for seniors, the Barstow Women's Club, and the district personnel commission, along with enjoying weekly lunches with the BUSD retirees.

Our mom instilled in us, the drive to help others, a love of reading, appreciation of nature through many camping trips and hikes in the mountains and the desert. She provided us opportunities to travel, explore, be curious, push buttons, look at the sky, listen to the wind, climb and fall down mountains, but most of all, to make sure we knew she loved us and was proud of us. We are devastated to lose her but know she will be in better hands.

A celebration of Raynette's life will be held Thurs., March 27 at Mead Mortuary in Barstow, CA.

12:30-1:30 pm - Memorial Service

1:30-3:30 pm - Open Reception and Open Viewing

All are welcome.

Our mom loved flowers but she would prefer better things be done with money so in lieu of flowers, please make a donation in her name to City of Hope, the American Cancer Society, or the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF).