Gayle E. Girard

Gayle E. (Thayer) Girard, 78, formerly of Manchester, died December 13, 2016 at the Community Hospice House in Merrimack after a period of declining health.

She was born in Worcester, MA on July 4, 1938 to Henry and Gertrude (Cartier) Thayer. She graduated from NH Technical College in Manchester and lived in Amherst for 20 years before moving to Manchester in 2005.

In addition to raising seven children, she worked at Easter Seals and Moore Center Services, both in Manchester and Plus Company in Nashua. She had also actively volunteered in the communities she lived in, including hospice care. She was an avid photographer in earlier years and a longtime communicant of Ste. Marie Church.

Gayle was predeceased by her husband of 47 years, Alfred L. Girard in 2005 and by three siblings, Richard Thayer, Phyllis Kelly and Beverly Cote.

The family includes seven children, Michael A. Girard and his wife, Maria, of Florida, Mark S. Girard and his wife, Crystal, of Burleson, TX, Deborah A. Girard and Sandi W., of Rock Hill, SC, David T. Girard and his wife, Rachel, of San Antonio, TX, Ruth A. Mulvey and her husband, John, of Merrimack, Elizabeth T. Girard of Concord and Jennifer H. Bengtson and her husband, Andrew, of Concord; 18 grandchildren, five step-grandchildren and seven great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Monday, December 19, 2016 at Ste. Marie Church, 378 Notre Dame Ave., Manchester. Committal prayers followed at Mt. Calvary Mausoleum, 474 Goffstown Rd., Manchester.

Memorial donations may be made to Ste. Marie Church, 133 Wayne St., Manchester, NH 03102, or to the American Cancer Society, 2 Commerce Dr., Suite 110, Bedford, NH 03110.