Gayle Josephine Kurth

Gayle Josephine Kurth age 88 of Brooks, Oregon passed away Thursday, January 22, 2026 in Keizer, Oregon. Gayle was born June 29, 1937 to Lloyd and Josephine (Perrin) Ford in Seattle, Washington. She attended school in Seattle and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1955. Gayle participated in Usher Corp and served as vice president of YFC. She also was library aide and performed in various music programs.

On June 22, 1956 she was united in marriage to Neil K. Kurth in Seattle at Maple Leaf Evangelical church. Neil and Gayle met at Jennings Lodge in Oregon City during summer camps of the Evangelical church conference. Gayle worked in the Oregon State College Food Science department as a secretary for two years while her husband Neil was attending college. After Neil’s graduation, Gayle and Neil moved to Labish Center, Oregon where Neil worked as an onion farmer.

Gayle enjoyed playing the piano, reading novels, and especially liked spending time with her close friends. Gayle also helped at the farm by running errands for supplies, making sandwiches for the hungry workers, and being a homemaker and mother to their four children. She was a member of Labish Center Evangelical church.

Survivors include her husband Neil K. Kurth, daughter Joanne (Kurth) Hauser and son-in-law Dale Hauser of Canby, OR, daughter Ronnell Kurth of Prineville, OR, son Ken Kurth of Corvallis, OR, and son Brian Kurth and daughter-in-law Kimberlee of Stromsburg, NE; 9 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Cathy Ford, sister-in-law Dana Ford Fehr; many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father Lloyd Ford, mother Josephine (Perrin) Ford-Pooler, step-father Walt Pooler, brothers Ronnie Ford, Randy Ford and Dan Ford. Also, her in-laws Nathan Kurth and Edna (Frewing) Kurth, sister-in-law Betty (Kurth) Antonelli, brother-in-law Tom Antonelli, and son-in-law Bob Orlando.

Johnson Funeral Home of Salem, Oregon has been entrusted with arrangements. Burial will be at Crescent Grove Cemetery in Tigard, Oregon.