Obituaries

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me … for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Children were always her joy. Her twinkling brown eyes had an extra sparkle whenever kids were around. Children were magically drawn to her. She had this remarkable connection because she was such a child at heart herself. Her love was genuine and pure; her smile and laugh contagious; she loved to play games and visit and cook and eat. Trish Gunter was the perfect mother. And though never blessed with a child of her own, she helped to raise countless children over her 84 years of life. Trish was always a glass-half-full girl, with an overflowing love for life. Full of energy, full of optimism, and full of fun! Robert and Philo Reilly raised her and older sister Bonnie to cherish each moment and to leave the future in God’s hands. Their bond and love for one another was so strong. His civil engineering jobs building bridges and roads moved them from town to town in Texas, but kept their family close and filled their lives with unique experiences and relationships. To love Trish was to know and love her family. She certainly had the gift of gab, and most stories were about times with family or friends. Never a dull moment with Trish. That family love and support was the foundation for her achievements, the roots that allowed her to grow into such a strong woman. In 1950, at 17, she married Grady E. Gunter, neither having any college education or enough money to buy a used car for over a year. But together they built a successful office machine sales company and quarter horse business. In fact, one of their horses finished within a nose of winning the Ruidoso All American Futurity, the “World’s Richest Quarter Horse Race”. After 33 years, Trish and Grady separated, and she moved from their ranch in Whitesboro, TX to Ruidoso, NM. For most people, that would have been a tragic end. And it was a sad transition, of course. But Trish’s love of family was so strong that she and Grady remained best friends for the rest of their lives. And when he remarried years later to Evelyn, she became part of our family … a sweet, loving sister to Trish and an angel of support to us all. In Ruidoso, Trish eventually attained her CPA and opened her own accounting firm, Gunter & Bewley, now owned and operated by Phyllis Bewley, another good friend. She moved into a house on the edge of the national forest, where she and Philo (her niece and mother’s namesake who lived with her for 15 years) spent hours hiking through the woods and mountains, enjoying the creeks and flowers, birds and deer, and occasional bear. She deeply loved the beauty and people of Ruidoso. Trish could fry the best chicken, cook the best cornbread, and bake the best pies. Cooking was a love language, and she was very fluent. It was nothing for her to whip up a 5-course spread for 20 people at a moment’s notice. She loved serving others, and her goal was always to make you feel special and loved. Her CPA clients were more than just business associates; they usually turned out to be good friends. She would care for so many of her elderly clients that didn’t have family in Ruidoso, going by to check on them, making meals, running errands … making them feel special and loved! That was her gift, and she used it well. To list the things that Trish loved to do would fill pages, she had such a zest for life. She would try just about anything once … skiing, parasailing, surfing, bareback riding, standing on the back of a galloping horse, jumping off high dive platforms, swinging from vines. She was a city girl but a country woman who loved the outdoors, nature and animals. She helped birth a colt and a calf when the moms where having labor problems. She nursed and raised baby rabbits, squirrels, quail, and any injured animal that needed help. She was even bitten by a copperhead snake, walking through her field of flowers in Whitesboro (probably didn’t nurse it back to health). And she was a “dog whisperer”. She owned well over a dozen dogs in her lifetime, and they would do anything for her. Trish was blessed with an abundant joy of life, and with no fear of dying. She loved God with the faith of a child, and she loved people with the love of Christ. She was at peace with whatever God had planned. She was also a fighter, having overcome back injuries and surgeries, artery replacements in both legs, stage 4 lung cancer in 2005, a major stroke, and a heart attack, and with very few complaints along the way. She moved from Ruidoso to Sherman, Texas in March 2016 with Faith (her cat), and spent a wonderful year-and-a-half at Traditions Assisted Living, making more friends and memories, living close to her remaining family. We will remember her as the energetic young lady with movie star looks, able to win any game from bridge to gin rummy to golf to barrel racing, and blessed with a heart of gold. Thank you, sweet Aunt Trish, for sharing your love and your life with so many of us. Enjoy your new eternal childhood with our Father. Note to family and friends: We are planning two family and friend times to honor our Aunt Trish, one in Denison (our home) and one in Ruidoso (her home). Both will be very informal settings, with time to pray together, reflect on memories and laugh together, and eat some lunch or dinner … exactly what Trish loved to do. We’ll spread some of her ashes around our house where she sat on the porch so many times to watch the flowers and birds and to visit; and spread the rest in Ruidoso, around her house in the woods and along the trails she so loved to hike. You are invited to either one, or both! It will be a wonderful time to visit with those that love her like we do. Since we’re having meals, please give us a call or text by this Friday, 10/27 if you plan to attend. Robert: 903-436-2777 or Gayle: 903-436-1037. Texas location / time: 11:00 am on Saturday, 10/28/17 127 Echo Ridge Ct, Denison, 75020 New Mexico location / time: 4:00 pm on Saturday, 11/11/17 246 Cedar Creek Dr, Ruidoso, 88345 Robert & Gayle Zischkale, and Philo Zischkale