Name: Daniel's Funeral Home
Address: Rome, GA

In 1990 I met my half sister Gail for the first time and she and her family couldn’t have been more welcoming. Sadly over the following years we lost touch. This was something I regret and was largely due to my neglect.  My son and I will be in the US next month and it would be good to meet up once again with family members

Gail is sadly missed.  She was kind and engaging and unassuming

Alan Moore.  alanmoore53@aol. com.  
+44(0)7979686223

In 1990 I was privileged to meet with Gail and her family. She was my older half-sister and it was our first meeting. She embraced me and my family with warmth and love and is remembered with love and thanks

I lost only one sword fight. It was with Gail Duchamp. With her passing, I now freely admit that Gail did not use a sword. During the mighty combat that ensued, she bested me with “words, words, words.” Naturally, I felt the conflict was weighted to her advantage as I had never had to face off against iambic pentameter.

But now I say to her
"Once more unto the breach dear friend."

At age 20, I met Gail at the University of Miami in 1979, and worked with her for 12 years, through So. Fla. Theatre Company and its many metamorphoses as Fla. Shakespeare Festival and finally the Minorca Playhouse.   In that time, I watched her 4 Smith children grow older, and got to know a very young Alexander Deschamps, many dogs and two nannies (Beryl and Marianne.)  They were in many ways a second family to me.  I loved her dearly, and will miss her. 

I worked with Gail as a musical director/pianist and a singer/actor from her very first production in Miami through Minorca Theater, which Andrew blew away, and therafter. I loved working/hanging with Gail. She was a great talent.

I am stunned to see that Gail has passed. Seems we talked not long ago about doing another show together. Robert and Gail make up a significant part of my professional theatre life, and I shall miss her. My deepest condolences. 

I first met and worked with Gail, through Rome Shakespeare.   She was large as life, and twice as fierce.   No, more than that!   I don't think I've ever met anyone with her relentless energy and drive, and her reverential love of the theatre arts. 

She was, by turns,  hilariously funny, warm, expresive - then inscrutable - and at times,she was absolutely terrifying, and EVERY MOMENT I GOT TO SPEND WITH HER WAS AN INCREDIBLE BLESSING.   

In the time that I knew her, Gail lived life like she was squeezing every last bit of juice out of the orange:   with great relish and purpose.   She lived life to her very fingertips and toes, through the top of her head, and out into the skies and stars, beyond.   She was an extraordinary energy and an unstoppable force.   

All of my love and reverence to this wonderful woman, who was my mentor and muse.    

All of my love, comfort, and condolences to Gail's family and friends.



I met Gail through Rome Little Theatre first when she was coaching a cast on English pronunciation, then serving on casting committees when she was a director. By the time auditions were over, Gail had worn everyone out by extracting the very best out of them. The actors were beat, the casting committee was beat, and I suspect even the rats in the theatre were beat. And the results showed in her exquisite productions.  Gail was also a playwright and I was honored when she asked me to read a major character in a live reading. I was so moved by the ending I could barely read my lines for all the tears.  She has left mighty big shoes to fill.

Just learned of Gail’s death. Condolences to the family from Peter and Ann Williams (cousin).

These past few days my heart has been heavy, Gail was nothing less than a genius and truly cared for every actor or actress that had the privilege to work with her. I had first met her when I was 8 years old and the span of the next 7 years Gail would encourage me both on and offstage. I’m sure she’s impacted everyone that had the joy to meet her, and I look back on every show and conversation with her with a warm heart knowing she’s resting easy. Rest in Peace Gail, you’re missed and loved by many. 

I am speechless and saddened. Not much more I can say at this point  other than Rome lost one of our Art treasures of the rarest quality. Gail is irreplaceable, but her spirit will continue on in so many she has inspired and gifted with her knowledge, enthusiasm, and passion for theatre.
Suzanne Fischer

Gail Deschamps showed faith in me as an actress and human in a time when it was so sorely needed. If not for her confidence in me, I would not likely have decided to pursue a degree and career in theatre. In the few times that I had gotten to work with her, she showed true strength and understanding of this complicated art. She was a true visionary- Nothing fascinated me more than listening to her tell a story. I'm sure I speak for many when I say that she will be dearly missed. 



Knowing and working with Gail was a pleasure. Whenever she saw me, she always had words of encouragement and gratitude for the work I did for her. Our theater community and the community at large has lost a wonderful and talented friend. I will miss her very much.

We only knew Gail for a short time, from the RLT production of Anything Goes a couple years ago, however her talent as a director was evident from the start.  She made a musical from the 1930s come alive for performers and audience alike, which is no small feat. She also made the Rome Shakespeare Festival into a wonderful theater experience for many people in northwest Georgia. We will be eternally grateful to Gail for giving our daughter and so many other young people in Rome the opportunity to perform on stage. Thank you, Gail, for your generous spirit! May her memory be for blessing and an inspiration to others to do what they love. 

I have Gail Deschamps to thank not only for some wonderful stage memories, but also for the events that lead to me meeting my wife. When I was 23, Gail gave me a job working with the Georgia Mountain Theater. Had I not taken that job, I would not have been in Rome, GA the night I met Jennifer. 

Gail directed both me and my daughter in some of my favorite shows at the Rome Little Theatre as well as the Rome Shakespeare Festival.

Her ability to lead her actors toward moments of discovery about both their characters and themselves was unequivocally peerless. 

She is missed and we shall not see her like again.

I shall forever be grateful for the opportunity to have met Gail, the pleasure of getting to know her, and the amazing opportunity to have worked with her. She was beautiful. brilliant, talented, feisty....a force of nature! I learned much from her, and shall miss her dearly!

OBITUARIO

Gail Smith Deschamps

18 noviembre, 1937 – 12 febrero, 2021

Daniel's Funeral Home and Cremation Service

Muestre su apoyo

Comparta Un Recuerdo

Comparta
Un Obituario

Obtenga actualizaciones

Servicios