COMAL COUNTY, Texas – A community is mourning the loss of an elementary school teacher in Comal County. Gayle Hendry was found dead Tuesday night inside her burning home. Her husband, Gary Hendry, was arrested in Mississippi in connection with her murder.
Fellow educators told KSAT they've lost a pillar in their community.
A cherished teacher, mentor and friend is gone, but the Specht Elementary family is holding tight to lessons they learned from Gayle Hendry, both inside and outside the classroom.
"One of her former students, who is currently in high school said today, said, 'She was the one teacher that I wanted to be sure was at my graduation.' So she really touched everybody's heart," said Jacqueline Sundt, Specht Elementary principal .
Sundt had only words of love for the kindergarten teacher who began changing lives the day Specht Elementary opened about 15 years ago.
"We're a family here, and we've truly lost a family member. We're going to be feeling that impact for a long time," Sundt said, describing Gayle as a cornerstone of the school.
On Thursday morning, the sign in front of the school was written to read, "In loving memory of Mrs. Hendry." Throughout the day, the area around the sign became a makeshift memorial. By the time school let out, it was covered with flowers from staff and parents and hand-drawn cards from students.
Crews found a body inside Gayle Hendry's New Braunfels home while fighting a fire there early Tuesday morning. The medical examiner confirmed it was the 57-year-old and ruled her death a homicide.
The Comal County Sheriff's Office immediately put out a warrant for her husband's arrest. Gary Hendry, 60, was found Wednesday in Mississippi.
"Our point over there now is to go over and collect any evidence that may be in the vehicle or maybe on him, things of that nature, something we can come back with," said Capt. Tommy Ward, with the Comal County Sheriff's Office.
Captain Ward said the officers collecting evidence and interviewing Gary Hendry in Mississippi will be coming back without him. He said arrangements to extradite Hendry back to Comal County will take a little longer.
While investigators focus on the crime, Gayle's loved ones focus on the deep impact she made on their lives. The District Crisis Team was at the school the whole day Thursday, helping students and staff deal with the news.
"We're going to celebrate her little spirit by wearing flip-flops and sunflowers on our shirts and just really celebrating the joy she shared with everybody," Sundt said.
Staff, students and parents wanted to show Gayle's family how loved she was.
