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Aug. 8, 1956 – Sept. 22, 2024

EL DORADO, AR – Teddi Crutchfield Gale, affectionately known as “Birdy” to those who loved her most, gained a new pair of wings on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, following a courageous fight with cancer. The origin of her unique “grandmother name” stemmed from her desire to see her children and loved ones successfully fly. We now take comfort in knowing she is eternally flying and has a bird’s-eye-view as our guardian angel.

A formal obituary didn’t seem fitting for our Birdy. Those lucky enough to know her know that tradition was never her style. Her personality and heart were as colorful and loud as her infamous fur-lined Christmas sweaters. Forever the trendsetter, never the follower, she admirably blazed her own path throughout her life whether it be her days at Vidalia High, Louisiana Tech, or Murphy Oil/USA.

Ever Loyal Be wasn’t just a line from her college alma mater. It was reflected every day of her 68 years of life. She was dedicated in her roles as a loving wife and mother, but also in the workplace, evidenced by her 45-year-long career at Murphy Oil/USA. She was one of those superhumans who seemed to readily juggle it all. She never missed a month-end, or an opportunity to see her children cheering and dancing at a football game. She shared a positive impact on so many, and she’ll forever hold a place in our hearts.

Birdy was one of those fun-loving personalities that are hard to forget. She was never one to turn down an impromptu dance party or bargain hunt at the local Goodwill. It’s well known that one of her favorite pastimes was garage and estate sale hunting. For Birdy— the more eccentric, the better. She found beauty where most did not and saw things for their possibility. This optimistic spirit translated into her life too as she always championed the potential in those around her. And though many know her as a treasure hunter, she was a treasure in her own right, always there to laugh, listen, and simply shine her light. She was deeply kind, charming, witty, and was always ready with some brilliant one-liners. Her infectious laugh will carry on through her stories and our cherished memories.

For a confident woman who loves herself, there is no limit but the sky.

Sometimes, you must dare to be different before you can truly fly.

Our Birdy was never afraid to just be herself.  And man, oh man, did she fly. Keep soaring Birdy!

We love you, forever and always.

Preceded in death by her father, Clinton Crutchfield.

Survived by her beloved mother, Frances Williams Crutchfield; husband, Keith Gale; daughters, Lauren Gale and Alex (Christopher) Leach; her grandchildren, William Alexander, Catherine Louise, and Penelope Anne; sister, Amy (Roelant) Verbeek; brother, Clinton (Patricia) Crutchfield; mother-in-law, Sara Gale. Along with a host of loving relatives and friends.

A memorial service celebrating the life of Teddi Crutchfield Gale will be held on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, at 1 p.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church followed by a reception in the Parish Hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

www.stjude.org/donate.

Condolences can be expressed online at www.youngsfuneralhome.com for the Gale family.