Leslie Gayle Evans Torrence was born Oct. 23, 1947 and died Sept. 28, 2025.
According to the children, Mom went to join Dad today….she wasn’t ready to leave her children and grandchildren but she was so ready to meet back up with her husband of 60 years. They had a life. Son of the town welder, daughter of the town jeweler. He was not good enough for her and she was not good enough for him (according to their mothers). They shouldn’t have worked out, but they did. They were best friends, lovers, enemies, partners in tormenting their children with jokes and hijinks.
Mom had a wandering Gypsy spirit, and Dad followed her wherever she wanted to go (how we ended up moving 27 times that we remember). Dad never met a stranger (as his children can attest to when going to the store with him), and she was an extroverted introvert who preferred a good book and family time. She was the woman who deserved “The” in front of her name, known as The Gayle by her children and grandchildren. Where she was the storm, he was the gentle rain……at least until she got him going, and then they crackled like lightning at each other. Murriel had the best laugh, and Gayle had the best smile. Together, they created a bond that persevered through life and now continues with her joining him.
Dad was a music teacher at the beginning, a welding instructor in the middle, and became a Registered Nurse in his early 40s. He was always teaching, whether a high school gang banger or a non-compliant diabetic. His favorite job was as a welding instructor at Indio High School in Indio, California. Mom was a Registered Nurse since 1972 (her stories were priceless) and she wore many hats during her career, she was a consummate professional, and an exceptional nurse. It was truly her calling. Her favorite job was at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California, where she was a night shift supervisor and then Head Nurse of a cardiac/telemetry unit.
Mostly, they were Mike and Julie’s parents, loving brother and sister to Evelyn Belt, Dolores Lakin, Michael Torrence and Joy Smith. They are preceded in death by their loving parents and multiple family members and friends whom they grieved. They have left behind many that loved them including their children, son, Michael Evans (wife Michelle Dall); daughter, Julie Hibbs (husband Corby Hibbs); grandsons: Jonathan White; Deric Hibbs; Kyle Dall; granddaughters: Porter Evans; Briawna Bain; Abigayle Hibbs; and Chloe Hibbs.If you were lucky enough to be loved by these two, please know you were loved fiercely. We pray they are dancing in the waves, no longer in pain and watching over us all.
There are no services planned at this time, and a private interment will take place at a later date.
In memory of Gayle and Murriel, the family asks that you consider making a memorial donation to the Wellington Humane Society, P.O. Box 494, Wellington, Kansas 67152. Contributions can be mailed or left with the funeral home during normal business hours.
We encourage you to share a memory, leave condolences, or sign the digital tribute wall at www.cornejofuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are by Cornejo Funeral Home & Crematory.