Masterton, Caroline Groves Gayler(1918-2017)

MASTERTON, GROVES, GAYLER, MANESS, POISOT

Posted By: Colleen J Ossman (email)
Date: 3/23/2017 at 20:45:22

Webster City Freeman Journal
Mar 14, 2017

Caroline (Kay) Groves Masterton passed away March 6, 2017 at her home in Alexandria, Virginia at age 98. She was born on October 24, 1918 in Webster City, Iowa to Ralph W. and Vera C. (Betty) Groves and grew up on the Groves Family Farm located east of Webster City in Cass Township. She is a great grandaughter of the early Hamilton County pioneer, Jackson Groves.

Caroline graduated from Webster City Lincoln High School in 1936 where she distinguished herself as the first place winner in the national Declamatory Contest, Humorous Division held at Kent University in Kent, Ohio in 1935. She graduated from Iowa State College in 1940 with a degree in Dietary Science and continued her graduate studies at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Caroline married Naval Lieutenant Noel Gayler in November of 1941 and served the next 35 years as the diplomatic partner to her husband who rose through the naval ranks to become a Four (4) Star Admiral with service duties that included naval attache to the United States Embassy in London, Commander of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) in Omaha, Director of the National Security Agency at Fort Meade to his final command as Commander in Chief, Pacific at Pearl Harbor from 1972 through 1976. While stationed for naval duties in 1957, Caroline was named “Mrs. Washington D.C.” and was runner up that same year in the Mrs. America contest. The honor recognized beauty, style, personality and family skills. Caroline served as the President of the Navy Officers Wives Club and as Chair of the 1969 Navy Ball. In 1970, she was honored by the United States Navy in the christening of the ship, the USS Joseph Hewes.

While stationed at Pearl Harbor, Caroline hosted numerous dignitaries including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles of England, President and First Lady Gerald and Betty Ford, and candidate for President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy. In the closing months of the Vietnam War, Caroline was at the airport with her husband to meet and greet the returning prisoners of war, including the now Senator John McCain, whose mother was a friend of Caroline. She took great joy in making the returning prisoners feel at home with steaks and ice cream during their post-briefing period.

Caroline noted the greatest compliment she ever received came shortly after her husband’s retirement in 1976 when they were invited to Moscow as guests of the Soviet’s military leadership. A toast was made by a high ranking official saying that he often wondered what the secret was to the great success of Admiral Gayler’s naval career and tonight we now know that his secret weapon is Mrs. Gayler.

Although she considered herself fortunate with the many opportunities she experienced in her lifetime, she never forgot who she was and where she came from by keeping in touch over the years with her many friends in the Webster City area. She felt it to be an honor and a blessing to own Iowa farmland and to be able to pass that heritage to her children.

Caroline is survived by her five children; Caroline Maness of Greensboro, North Carolina, Anne Gayler of Monroe, New York, Deborah Poisot of Austin, Texas, Alexander Gayler (Kim) of Blacksburg, Virginia, and Christopher Gayler (Lainey) of Sebastopol, California, seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents Ralph and Betty Groves, her brother, Alexander Groves, her son-in-law Kelly Maness, and her husbands, Noel Gayler and Paul Masterton.

A memorial will be held on April 28 in Alexandria with family and friends. Her remains will rest at the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Condolences may be sent to the family at Porto Vecchio, Unit 517, 1250 South Washington St., Alexandria, Virginia, 22314.