Obituary of Gayle Venner
Gayle (Elliott) Venner
June 3, 1947 – December 29, 2020
Gayle was born in Milwaukee Wisconsin, but spent most of her youth in the Chicago area. Her elementary school “chum” was Hilary Rodham Clinton at the Field School in Park Ridge!
During her teens, she spent a year at Laval Universite’ in Quebec City (graduating Summa Cum Laude). Undoubtedly, this is where she developed her love of French culture, becoming a lifelong Francophile.
Attending college in Michigan at Kalamazoo College, with an internship at L’ Universite’ de Caen, in France, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in French Language & Literature.
Shortly into her professional career, Gayle found a passion for the hotel and hospitality business and in no time earned the position of General Manager at the Holiday Inn in Dedham Massachusetts. In the 1970’s, this was no small feat, as female executives in the industry were unheard of. In fact, national industry publications featured her as a “glass ceiling breaker”.
It was during this time her colleagues set her up on a date with her future husband, Guy, who was the Chief Maintenance Engineer at a nearby hotel. How could a Gayle deny a date with a Guy! They were the perfect combination in name and as a couple!
In the 1980’s, they moved to Paradise Valley Arizona, where Gayle served as the General Manager of the Phoenix Granada Royale Hotel, a new and innovative all-suites hotel product. Later, Gayle and Guy moved to El Paso Texas, where she was the General Manager of the Embassy Suites Hotel, the successor to the Granada Royale brand. While in El Paso Gayle & Guy owned quarter horses and were avid equestrians.
Subsequently, they relocated to Tucson, where she served as General Manager of the Embassy Suites Hotel at the Tucson Airport for many years.
Later in her career, Gayle worked in various Executive positions throughout the Tucson market, including a stint as GM at the former Smuggler’s Inn, where the ducks in the courtyard pond became family.
This was not all that unexpected, as Gayle was an animal lover, extraordinaire. Her home was always populated with wonderful dogs and the back yard by Cleo the box turtle. She was passionate about the treatment of all animals. Together with Guy, they sponsored several pet adoptions over the years.
Gayle had family and many friends throughout the country, with her “Boston” family include nieces Mary Claffey Loomer, Sharon Claffey Kaliouby (Amr) and great nieces Brina and Jacqui; as well as North Carolina nephew Charles H Claffey Jr (Anita) and great nieces Caitlin and McKenna Claffey. Her cousins Buzz and Gerry Winter from Washington State and Diane Winter from San Jose, California were dear relatives.
In the local area, she counted the members of the Tucson Skal Club (she was the club’s first female member) as more than just colleagues, and had many other industry and personal friends. Over the years she was active in industry associations, serving in leadership positions with most of them, including: President, El Paso Hotel/Motel Association - Board Member, Texas Hotel/Motel Association – President, Southern Arizona Innkeepers Association – Board Member, Arizona Lodging and Resort Association – Chairman, Arizona Restaurant and Lodging Show – Board Member, Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Association – Commissioner, Tucson Convention Center.
Visitation for Gayle will be at Bring’s Broadway Chapel at 6910 E. Broadway on Monday January 11, 2021 between 5PM and 7PM. A funeral mass will be said at St Pius X Catholic Church at 10AM on Tuesday January 12, 2021.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a gift in Gayle’s name to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona.
