Danyelle Burke North
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Many locals are grieving the loss of one community trailblazer. Beloved 69-year-old husband, father, and grandfather Wayne David Gale passed unexpectedly a little over a week ago on January 18 while hiking with family.
He moved to Yuma in 2007 to work for Foothills Bank and joined First Bank January of 2015. Gale served more than 45 years in community banking.
He served as President and CEO of Western Arizona Bancorp Inc and co-CEO of First Bank Yuma before its acquisition by OneAZ Credit Union.
“But beyond his title, Wayne was a servant leader who believed that when the community thrives, everyone thrives,” said OneAZ Credit Union SVP Market President Ricardo Perez.
Ricardo Perez worked alongside Gale at the bank for over a decade and says Gale was a true mentor, great team player, and trailblazer.
“He always just found ways of bringing positivity to those that he interacted with, whether it was just his comedic relief, he definitely found ways to try to make people smile, and it made a huge difference to those that surrounded and knew him,” said Perez.
He won several prestigious awards, helped the banking community grow, and served on several local boards giving back to the community, once serving on seven boards at the same time.
“He was a part of the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation. He was part of the Food Bank. He was part of Yuma 50, Visitors Bureau. Gosh, there was just so many. He was also part of the Arizona Bankers Association,” said Perez.
Gale also served on the Greater Yuma Port Authority alongside Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls.
“The amazing thing about Wayne is his impact was huge, but he never called attention to himself. So it was always very subtle, very silent, but steady and consistent, and so you didn’t have to worry about him making it about him because it never was about him. It was always about the community and what was right and how to move forward.” said Mayor Nicholls.
Nicholls said he was a great faith-filled family man that was always about community.
“He’s just been a great mentor for me in a lot of ways because of his leadership style. He was in GYEDC board with me, and he was present during kind of a a little bit tougher time, And so I got to work with him pretty close there. He was always so calm and settled,” said Mayor Nicholls.
State Farm Agent and Gale’s dear friend Gene Bostic poured out words of gratitude, saying he was blessed by Gale’s friendship.
“Wayne was the kind of guy that you could sit and have lunch with and talk to him and then not see him for 2 or 3 months a year and it was like you just sat and talked with him yesterday, and he had that kind of friendship…that kind of calmness. He was one of those kind of people that when you met him, you just instantly liked him. He had that kind of demeanor that was just friendly, caring. He was just that person that you could really count on to be there for and be there with,” said Bostic.
A service was held for him this past weekend. His loved ones want to continue to keep his legacy alive.
“We built each other up from that and I think that’s an example our community and the world really at this point can take some lessons from is, ‘Hey, let’s work with what we agree with. Let’s build each other up, and find the right solutions.’ I think that would be a great way to honor him is if we all kind of move our perspective on how we relate to each other in that direction,” said Nicholls.
Click here to follow the original article.
