COLUMBIA - A celebration of life for Gail Lee Lord, 75, will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 21, 2019 at Shandon Presbyterian Church. Interment of ashes for close family and friends will be held prior to the service at 10:15 a.m. in the church columbarium and memory garden. Reception to follow the memorial service at the church.
Gail passed away September 17, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina, her home since September 2011. Born in Detroit, Michigan on May 22, 1944, Gail Lee Wood was the only child of Hubert and Veronica Samuels Wood.
Gail grew up in Detroit, Michigan with her loving parents and graduated from Cooley High School in 1962. In September 1962, she enrolled at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and at Freshman Orientation, a boy named Herb asked her to dance. She was an enthusiastic member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and graduated with B.A. and M.A. degrees in Education. Gail was an extraordinarily passionate and loyal lifelong University of Michigan fan, and as such, her husband and both of her children graduated with degrees from University of Michigan.
Gail first taught elementary school in Ann Arbor until her son David was born in 1969. In 1971, Gail, Herb, and David moved to East Windsor, New Jersey where her daughter, Christine, was born in 1974. In 2011, Gail retired after nearly 30 years of service teaching elementary school at Ethel McKnight, Walter C. Black, and Grace Norton Rogers Schools in the East Windsor Regional School District. She was beloved by an extraordinary community of educators, students, and parents and embodied the role of a teacher to the absolute fullest every day of her career and life with remarkable compassion and spirit for her students, even decades after she had them in her class. In 2011, Gail and Herb moved to Columbia, South Carolina where Gail fully immersed herself in Shandon Presbyterian Church, Kappa Delta Gamma teaching sorority, and spending every possible minute with her beloved grandsons.
She was an absolutely devoted mother, first grade teacher, First Presbyterian Church of Hightstown member, and member of countless groups, most of which were dedicated to improving the lives of women, particularly women who had dedicated their lives to teaching children. At First Presbyterian Church of Hightstown and then at Shandon Presbyterian Church she actively enjoyed being a soprano in the church choirs, was an avid quilter, a greeter for Wednesday night suppers at Shandon, and a fixture at Rosewood Elementary School, soccer and baseball fields, the swim club, and anywhere else she was needed. Gail loved to spend vacations at Edisto Beach, SC and the mountains of NC with her family.
Survivors include her husband of fifty-three years, Herbert Lord, her son David Lord (Anna), daughter Christine Boring (Shane), the loves of her life, her four grandsons Grant Lord, Jack Boring, Ryan Lord, and Ollie Boring, sister-in law Chris Lord (Don), brother-in-law Art Lord (Marilyn), brother-in-law John Lord, special friends Joan Newell, Dilys Henninger, and Sally Grover, and the thousands of lives she touched in her 75 years.
Gail was predeceased by her parents, Hubert and Vera Wood and her beloved in-laws, Jack and Betty Lord.
The family wishes to thank Shandon Presbyterian Church and countless family and friends nationwide and overseas who have supported them.
Memorials may be made to Shandon Presbyterian Church, 607 Woodrow St, Columbia, SC 29205; Delta Kappa Gamma South Carolina Chapter, 607 Maple Street, Columbia, SC 29205; Rosewood Educational Foundation, 3300 Rosewood Drive, Columbia, SC 29205; or First Presbyterian Church of Hightstown, 320 North Main Street, Hightstown, New Jersey 08520.
Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.
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