Gayle Levon was born the only daughter of Albertia Dwight (Parman) and Robert Franklin Johnson on March 9, 1944 in Shenandoah, Iowa. Gayle entered into eternal rest on August 16, 2011 at the Bellevue Medical Center in Bellevue, Nebraska, at the age of 67 years.
Gayle attended Shenandoah High School where she met and married her high school sweetheart, Gerald Lee Monk. The couple was married in a small and early evening service at the Southern Baptist Church in Shenandoah, Iowa, on June 2, 1965. The Rev. Elbert "Curly" Proctor officiated. In her early 20's, she worked at Henry Field Seed and Nursery Co. when they needed seasonal help and was a homemaker. On July 3, 1967, she became a mother, giving birth to her only child, Rebecca Rene'.
She volunteered with Hand Hospital Auxiliary and devoted countless hours to helping with Becky's school programs and Gerald's activities. She enjoyed visiting with the ladies in her neighborhood coffee group and spending time with her nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren.
In 1996, Gayle and Gerald moved to Oakland, Iowa when he was transferred for his job with what has become MidAmerican Energy Co. After more then 20 years of marriage, she and Gerald began taking country dance lessons and they formed a whole a whole new circle of friends. They danced and dined and traveled together.
Even after her health deteriorated from Multiple Sclerosis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, they continued to be active and attend dances. For as long as she was able, she would strap on her oxygen tank and waltz to Ann Murray's "Could I Have This Dance (for the rest of my life)" with Gerald. When she wasn't able to dance anymore, she still enjoyed attending dances to visit with friends, as well as traveling with friends and her daughter.
She was preceded in death of her parents Albertia "Bert" and Robert "Bob" Johnson and grandparents Eunice (Searcy) and Elvis Parman and Frank and Etta Mae (LeBaron) Johnson, all formerly of Shenandoah.
She is survived by her husband, Gerald Monk of Oakland, IA; daughter Becky Monk of Seattle, WA; sisters-in-laws Opal Gibson and husband Richard of Eagle Grove, IA and Delores Pontious and husband Rex of Shenandoah; brother-in-law Leonard Monk and wife Vicki of Salmon, ID; many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many friends.