Gayle Murdock

Gayle Edwin Murdock, 77, died on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at his winter home in Vero Beach, Florida. Gayle was born in Troutman, NC to the late Mildred (Austin) and Ed Murdock and had two beloved sisters, Prissy Nicholson and Karen Knox.  He is survived by his wife of almost 54 years, Georgia Ann Franza Murdock, and his children, Heather Pharris (William), Heath Murdock (Melissa), and Hope Murdock Smith (Eric).   Gayle and Georgia have 7 grandchildren:  Annsley and Peyton Pharris, Brooke and Cole Murdock, Dylan and Dalton Brown and Isabelle Smith, and were beloved as an aunt and uncle to their numerous nieces and nephews and other friends and family.

Gayle attended Troutman High School and graduated from Western Carolina University in 1969.  There, he was a proud member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Army in Korea for two years and married Georgia in 1970 in Avon Park, FL.  In 1972, Gayle and Georgia moved to her hometown of Avon Park where they raised their family until they retired full-time to Whittier, NC in 2015.

In Avon Park, Gayle was active in his community and his church, United Congregational Church, and worked in sales and management in the agriculture industry for the vast majority of his career.

Known for his great love of family, traveling the world with his wife, Georgia, watching his grandchildren compete in various sports from basketball and tennis to volleyball and cheerleading, his infectious laughter, love of storytelling, and UNC - Chapel Hill basketball, Gayle will forever be remembered by his friends and family.

A funeral service is scheduled on Friday, April 26th at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Troutman, NC.  There will be a visitation at 10:00 am in the fellowship hall followed by a 11 AM service and then a gravesite/military service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts in Gayle’s memory be sent to the

Megan Knox Memorial Scholarship Fund (521 East Mombo Road, Statesville, NC 28677), the TKE Scholarship Fund at Western Carolina University (ZOCC Scholarship Foundation, 8310 Misty Lilac Drive, Huntersville, NC 28078) or a charity of your choice.