Obituary of Gayle Anne Hissett

Hissett, Gayle Anne Gayle Anne Hissett was born in Trenton, Ontario on December 6th, 1957, to Marie and Earl Olsen. She graduated from Bayside Secondary School in 1975 and joined the Canadian Armed Forces. After completing her basic training, she was posted to CFB Wainwright, where she worked as a supply technician. In 1980, she finished her military service at the rank of Corporal. She continued to work at Camp Wainwright as a civil servant and this is where she met her future husband, Gord. Gayle met her best friends in 1980. Sharing many laughs, tears and vacations together, Terry and Rick Sherwood became family members. Unbeknownst to either, when Gayle called Rick at the Wainwright airport about setting up flying lessons for Gord, they all met by chance 2 weeks later at the Legion steak supper and discovered that they had attended high school in Trenton together. In 1982, Gayle and Gord were married in Wainwright, Alberta. In 1984, they had a baby girl, Ashley. They moved to Viking in 1984 where Gayle was an active member in her community teaching Brownies, volunteering at playschool and forming an organization which successfully raised money to purchase a mammography unit for the community, all while raising her daughter, which she believed was the most important job. In 1988, Gayle decided to further her education and attended Lakeland College earning her diploma in animal health technology. In November of 1988, the Hissett family moved to Vegreville. After working at a veterinary clinic, she decided that she wanted to be more involved with her daughter, and began to coach and eventually run the Vegreville Gymnastics Club. She was also involved with many non-profit organizations in Vegreville including holding the position of president of the Vegreville Golf Association. In 2000, she decided to again further her education and enrolled in the accelerated nursing program at Grant MacEwan. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alberta in 2002. Gayle had a rewarding career and gained experience in so many different fields, from working in the ICU at the U of A, to public health and even teaching nursing students for the U of A. In 2012, she began her Masters degree in Advanced Nursing Practice to become a nurse practitioner and completed the program in December, 2014. Gayle loved to travel and took every opportunity to escape winter and head for warmer weather. Family vacations going camping, and traveling to Disneyland, Maui, and Mexico created so many great memories. Golfing with Gord was one of her favorite hobbies and they traveled to many courses around Canada and the United States. Gayle’s legacy will continue to live on through Gord and Ashley. Her laughter was infectious and her fun loving attitude was admired by many. She lived by the mantra, “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”