Gayla Christine Griswold

PLEASE NOTE: This obituary is being placed on our website as a courtesy to the family and at their request. Hullinger Mortuary is not handling any part of these services.

Gayla Christine Griswold passed away at the age of 74, surrounded by her family and the caring nursing staff, on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. She fought a long and difficult battle with Parkinson’s disease and ultimately succumbed to it. The Lord carried her through and she passed away peacefully. Gayla was born in Roosevelt, Utah, to Revella (Kimball) Murray and Gail Richard “Nick” Murray. She was the oldest of six children, with sisters, Marilyn, Lana, and Kathy, and brothers Rick and Ray. She was raised in the Uintah Basin and graduated from Union High School in 1970, where she served on the drill team and worked as the school librarian. She later attended Steven-Henegar Business College in Salt Lake City. Just before her nineteenth birthday, she was involved in a severe car accident and remained in a coma for one week. Her grandmother, Erna Murray and loving parents, nursed her back to health. The accident deepened her appreciation for life and compelled her to seek a deeper relationship with God. After graduating, she returned to Roosevelt in 1972 and worked at First Security Bank as a commercial loan stenographer. She married Wayne Edward Griswold on May 25, 1973, and together they had threechildren: Angela (Angie), Timothy (Tim), and Tarin (Christopher). As she built her family, the spiritual search that began years earlier continued to grow. Gayla devoted herself to being a loving wife and mother and felt a calling to serve the Lord. After years of seeking, she became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. She faithfully shared her beliefs door to door, encouraging others to know there is a higher calling and that they are not alone. She had a servant’s heart and found joy in helping others. Gayla enjoyed baking, crocheting, gardening, singing, playing guitar, and writing. In 2013, she published Sunflowers in the Morning, based on the story of her childhood. She opened the book with Matthew 13:46: “Upon finding one pearl of high value, he went and promptly sold all the things he had and bought it,” a verse that captured the spiritual search that began after her accident and ultimately shaped much of her life. Not long after its publication, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Her sister Marilyn helped arrange her care in Idaho and was a great support. As the illness progressed, Gayla faced it with a quiet and gentle spirit. Never demanding, she bore her suffering with quiet grace and was deeply loved by the nursing staff for her kindness and gentle nature. She is survived by her children, Angie (Cliff) Serawop; Tim (Yunxiang) Griswold; Christopher (Nina) Griswold; her granddaughters, Destinee (Brandy), Jocelyn, Audrey, Kinley, and Lexi; grandsons, Alan, Andrew, Aaron, Christopher and Xander; sisters, Lana (Tim) Bonne, Kathy (Bob) Roberts; brother, Ray (Susan) Murray; her brother-in-law, Gary Baker; along with many uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Wayne; her sister, Marilyn; brother, Rick; nieces, Cami Jo and Jacqueline. The date of the memorial service will be announced at a later time.