Gayle Sobolik

Gayle A. Sobolik was born on October 24, 1931, to Bertina and Herman Sobolik, of Fordville, North Dakota. She passed away on December 15, 2017 in Rochester, Minnesota where she had been living since 2014.

Gayle retired from California State University, Fresno as Professor Emerita of Information Systems and Decision Sciences in the Craig School of Business, where she taught from 1969 to 1999. Her speciality was Business Communication.

Gayle received her B.A. degree from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, in1953; M.A. from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1962; and Ph.D. from UND in 1970.

She taught high school classes in Park River, North Dakota; Verona (Italy) American Dependents High School; and Nurnberg (Germany) American Dependents High School; she taught university classes at Minot State University, Minot, North Dakota, and at Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville Campus) before moving to Fresno. She also taught various seminars and workshops for teachers, administrative assistants, and students preparing for the Graduate Management Admission Test. She served as copy editor for two professional publications of the Craig School of Business as well as editor of many articles, theses, and dissertations. She was faculty advisor of Phi Chi Theta business fraternity for over ten years. Gayle believed in and loved education very much, many evenings and weekend hours were spent helping others to further their own education.

Gayle was a member and officer of various honorary professional organizations; Pi Omega Pi, Delta Pi Epsilon, and Beta Gamma Sigma. She was a member (from 1962) of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, and honorary society for women in education, which awarded her an international scholarship. Gayle was also active as secretary, research journal project director, and newsletter editor in the Central Section of CBEA. She received honorary state life membership in CBEA. Gayle worked long hours at Fresno State, yet her door was always open to students and faculty to advise or help when needed. She formed lifelong bonds with many international students and faculty and kept in touch with them until her passing. Some of the international students referred to her as their "American Mother".

While teaching was her first love, traveling the world was a close second. Gayle visited 46 countries, some more than once. While traveling she learned to be an excellent photographer building an extensive library full of slides and pictures. She would love to share them with clubs, friends, and family, always teaching and sharing.

Gayle is survived by her sister, Marilyn (Lee) Ferguson of Forest River, North Dakota; nephew, Gary (Jami) Ferguson of Forest River, North Dakota; niece, Debra Schall of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; grand niece, Amy (Matt) Kruse and one great grand nephew, Everett Lee of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, August 17, 2018 at the Fordville Lutheran Church. She will be laid to rest beside her parents at Oak Grove Cemetery in Fordville, North Dakota.

Remembrances may be made to the donor's charity of choice.