Gail Austin Hooper

Beloved wife and mother Gail Austin Hooper, born the same day she passed 78 years apart, left this earthly world peacefully and surrounded by her loved ones at her home in Laguna Niguel, California on September 8, 2021. Born September 8, 1943, on Governors Island, a military base now incorporated into New York State, Gail was the youngest of seven children to Millard Homer and Johnnie Viola Flinn. Her father was a career military man who enlisted at age 17 to fight in WWI and over the course of many wars and years of service, retired at the esteemed rank of Sargent Major. The youngest child in a large family, Gail was doted on by her parents and siblings, and had an adventurous childhood growing up in Brooklyn, New York and internationally as her father was assigned. Gail met her husband Edward Hooper on a blind date while she was attending her first year of college at Notre Dame of Maryland University. Gail and Edward married on November 30, 1964, and thereafter had four children in each state they lived, Cassandra, born in Brooklyn, New York, Lisa, born in South Bend, Indiana, Jessica born in Lansing, Michigan, and Michael born in Mission Viejo, California. Gail was extremely intelligent with multiple degrees and specialties that supported her lifelong teaching career devoted to helping students with special needs. Gail’s longest teaching position was at Saddleback College where she was an early champion and designer of special services, accommodations and curricula for those with learning disabilities. Gail spent a lifetime traveling with her family to places near and far but also loved her home and took tremendous pleasure spending time outside in the garden Edward created for her. Gail had a boundless imagination, a sparkling sense of humor, a sharp wit, and a gigantic heart. Above all else, she was intensely and lovingly committed to her family. A cherished wife, mother, and grandmother, Gail is survived by her husband of 57 years, Edward, four children, Cassandra Hooper (Jeffrey Mills), Lisa Hooper (Spencer Sener), Jessica Hooper (Sandro Morales) and Michael Hooper (Gwen Hooper), nine grandchildren, Bernadette (Peter Olivo) and Jamie Fernandes, Saffron and Eliza Sener, Ella and Jackson Mills, Colin, Myles and Finnick Hooper, and one great grandchild, Ramona Olivo. She is also survived by loving sisters-in-law, Cecile Whitaker and Rose Mary Hooper, many nieces and nephews, life-long friends and her loyal dog, Annie.

A celebration of life for Gail will be held at the family home, 25121 Monte Verde Drive, Laguna Niguel, CA, beginning at 3 pm on the afternoon of Saturday, November 27, 2021.