Gayle Franks Lewis Schwab

Loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend and faithful servant of God was called home by our Lord on February 7, 2020. Born Wanda Gayle Franks on October 31, 1934 in Sweetwater, Texas to Jodie Dobbins and Garland Franks, Gayle passed away in Dallas from frontal temporal dementia, a journey she traveled for over 11 years. Gayle grew up in San Angelo, Texas and attended Central High. While she graduated from Waco High, she was always a devoted Bobcat. Afterwards, she attended the University of Texas at Austin on a music scholarship and pledged Delta Gamma. In June 1955, she married her junior high school sweetheart, Glenn William Lewis, whom she supported through law school by working at the Texas State Treasury. After Austin, she moved back to San Angelo to raise her family. After Glenn’s death in 1989, she went to work for the city and then rejoined the State Treasury office working for the lottery. She fell in love again and married John Schwab of San Angelo in 1994. Gayle was an involved member of the community and served as the first Queen of Hearts. She tirelessly served many philanthropic and social organizations, including the San Angelo Junior League, the San Angelo Symphony Chorale, Philia Club, the Red Hat Society, the Lunch Bunch and Bridge Club. She was a faithful and active member of the First United Methodist Church in San Angelo and University Park and sang in the choir at both churches. More than anything, she proclaimed Jesus as her savior and shared the joy of her faith with her family and friends. She especially loved her time in the Bayith and Cheers Sunday School classes. A social butterfly, as with her father and brother, she was very musical and loved to share her talents on the piano and through her beautiful voice. Her greatest joys came through being with her grandchildren, always attending games, performances and camp closing ceremonies, even pinning her granddaughter Madeline at her sorority initiation. She loved to use her talents in sewing and painting to delight her family, whether making doll clothing for her granddaughters or painting portraits of her grandsons. While she moved to Dallas in 2008 to be closer to her grandkids, her heart always remained firmly rooted in San Angelo. Gayle was predeceased by her parents and husbands Glenn Lewis and John Schwab. She is survived by her sons David Lewis and wife Ashley of Dallas, Michael Lewis and wife Kay of Argyle, grandchildren Calder Lewis, Madeline Mills and husband Brandon, Corinne Uhr and husband David, and Sawyer Lewis all of Dallas, Tatum Lewis of Los Angeles and Tyson and Britton Lewis of Atlanta. She is also survived by her brother Terry Franks and his family in Abilene. Her family wishes to extend its heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the staff at Windsor Senior Living, especially that of Willies Musonda, who is truly an angel on earth, and for the professional and giving care of Freedom Hospice. Gayle will be remembered in our hearts for her laughter, giving nature, gentle but feisty spirit, her bubbly smile and her kind and caring heart. Throughout her entire life, she put Christ and family first, and despite her illness, her kindness and love never wavered. She was also a darned good cook. A funeral celebrating Gayle’s life will be held at the First United Methodist Church in San Angelo at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, February 11, 2020. The graveside service will be 2:00 P.M., Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at Fairmount Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to one of Gayle’s beloved charities: The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration or the San Angelo Symphony in her honor. Family and friends may share condolences and sign the online register book at www.harper-funeralhome.com.