Sandra "Gayle" Wood Durham passed away peacefully March 6, 2025, surrounded by the love of her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, kindergarten teacher, and friend who brought warmth and kindness to everyone she met.

Born on May 17, 1947, Gayle dedicated her life to teaching. She spent more than 40 years teaching with 30 of those years as a beloved kindergarten teacher at John Milledge Academy. She could always be found in the Mickey Mouse room. She had a true gift for teaching, earning her master's degree in elementary education with a specialty in reading from the University of Georgia. Before moving to Milledgeville, she worked as a reading specialist in Charleston, South Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, helping countless students develop a love for reading and learning. She retired in 2014 but never stopped tutoring and inspiring those around her.

Gayle was married to her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Ralph William "Bill" Durham Jr., for 53 wonderful years. Together, they built a life filled with love, laughter and cherished memories. She was the proud mother of her only child, Elizabeth Durham Cook, a graduate of John Milledge and the University of Georgia, who now serves as the chief relationship officer for The Georgia Society of CPAs. Gayle's greatest joy was her family, and she adored her son-in-law, Don Cook, and her two precious granddaughters, McNeal (10) and Yates (7), who lovingly called her "Gigi."

Beyond her devotion to family and teaching, Gayle had a deep gift for making all things beautiful, from flower gardening to decorating and baking her well-known gingerbread cookies. She cherished time spent with family and friends and shared her home with her cherished "cat children" — Alice Tinker, Gracie, Sally, Frank Sinatra, and most recently Henry.

Gayle's kindness, patience and unwavering love will be dearly missed but forever carried in the hearts of all those who knew her. Her legacy of warmth and compassion will live on in the countless lives she touched.

A visitation with the family will be held on March 16, 2025, at 3 p.m. at Moores Funeral Home in Milledgeville, Georgia.

A memorial service to celebrate Gayle's life will be held at First Baptist Church Milledgeville on March 17, 2025, at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her memory to John Milledge Academy so that scholarships in Gayle's name can be created for future Trojan families. To make donations, please mail checks made payable to John Milledge Academy with Gayle Durham in the memo line to: John Milledge Academy, 197 Log Cabin Road NE, Milledgeville, GA 31061. Additionally, you may contact Misty Glover at mglover@johnmilledge.org or 478-288-2399 to make donations in Gayle's name.

Gayle's family finds comfort in knowing that her spirit will always be with them — just as she was in life, guiding and teaching with a heart full of love.

Moores Funeral Home & Crematory has charge of arrangements.