Gayla Jean Kurtz

March 18, 1938 - December 4, 2021

Gayla Jean (Goodrich) Kurtz, aged 83 of Sun City Center, FL and Granville, OH, ascended peacefully in her sleep, of natural causes, on the 4th of December 2021. Gayla was born on 18th of March 1938 in Spokane, WA and was the eldest daughter of the late Louis E. and Margaret H. (Cull) Goodrich. Gayla was an educator with a degree from Michigan State University and two Master Degrees from Western Michigan State University. She taught in the public schools in Michigan and at the University Lab School in Athens, OH. Through Gayla’s love of knowledge, history, and travel, she found her true passion in herbal medicine, books, and all things old. Gayla will be remembered by her family and friends for her quickness to laugh, love of reading, education, travel, and her unique, eclectic, and eccentric personality. A few memories: When traveling, Gayla always stressed the importance to be emersed in the local culture. Her daughter Margaret “Betsy” remembers fondly of traveling to see the Mayan ruins of Tulum in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, and instead of taking the tour bus for $5, they took the local bus for $1, where the hour long journey to the ruins was accompanied by the colors of the native people with their pigs and chickens in tow. Elizabeth Ezera fondly reflects on joining Gayla on her antique searching trips. Gayla had the ability to identify significance in small items that a novice would not recognize. The travels through small towns and back roads gave many hours of bonding and laughs. Elizabeth Tilson recalls Gayla telling the story of when as a very young child, she got into her Aunt Gayla’s Christmas gifts from her students which were mostly gifts of perfume and makeup. She made a grand entrance to the gathering of family at the dinner table with a sampling of Aunt Gay Gay’s presents adorning her and a very strong combination of scents. Margaret Pitt held a deep affection for her Aunt Gayla that was rooted early in childhood. She warmly recalls going to Aunt Gayla’s house for summer visits and once devouring the beets Gayla collected and boiled from her garden. Margaret swears she has not had better beets since! Gayla is survived by her daughters Margaret (Dustin) Burden of Granville, OH and Liz (Nnamdi) Ezera of Sterling, VA; her grandchildren Bethany and Grace Burden, Nnenna, Nneka and Emeka Ezera; her sister Barbara L. Pitt (David Monauni) of Sun City Center, FL, her brother Robert S. (Lisa) Goodrich of Ashboro, NC; nieces Elizabeth (Dan) Tilson and Margaret Pitt, great nephew Parker (Sha Nika Audige) Ramsay, great nieces Margaret Ramsay, Anna and Leah Margarites, and great-great nephew Cyrus Audige-Ramsay. A private internment will take place at the Winnetka Congregational Church in Winnetka, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, please make a charitable donation to your local library system to pass on the love of reading and knowledge to the next generation. . . .