Gail Kathryn Dill

Gail, the most loving and devoted wife, mother, grammy, and friend to so many is survived by her husband of 58 years, Don, her children Don Jr. (Linda) and Diana (David) Spinoglio, grandchildren Taylor, Ashley and Daniel; and her not so little shadow, Mitzy.

I would be remiss if we did not pick up during the summer of 1955 when she and another girlfriend were invited by a wealthy philanthropist to go to Europe to pick up a marble statue of Christ descending the stairways of Heaven for First Lutheran Church in Glendale. They traveled Europe first class for 2.5 months and came home on the S.S. United States with a lifetime full of wonderful stories.

She graduated from Glendale City College in 1962 with a BA in Business Management, where she met the love of her life and the man she would see the world with, Don. She worked for Union Bank and then Gibson Dunn and Krutcher as a legal secretary before she married Don in 1965 in a full Naval honors wedding ceremony.

Their lifetime together included many moves thanks to the Naval Aviation community which included Hanford, CA, Bremerton, WA, Monterey, CA, back to Hanford, then onto Charleston, SC, San Diego, CA, Canberra, Australia and finally back to San Diego. Gail quickly dug in and got involved no matter where she was. Her heart was full when she was doting on her family and giving back to her community in countless ways.

When it came to charities or social organizations, she had the inability to say no and joined most guilds, charities, historical societies and even grand juries when she was asked to join or serve. The Hanford Carnegie Museum, The Victorian Inn, Kings County Grand Jury, South Carolina Historical Society, SDSHRM Board, member and past president of the Globe Guilders, member and past president of the Social Service Auxiliary of San Diego, member of Friends of East County Arts, member of Social Service League, Alpine Women’s Club, San Carlos Garden Club and PEO member, just to name a few.

When we were stationed in Charleston, SC Gail quickly realized she was born in the wrong century and should have been a southern bell. She certainly loved her time in Charleston and was heavily involved in what she affectionately called the “hysterical” Historical Society, St.Matthew’s Lutheran Church, theater and the Spoleto Festival. She even got her real-estate license. Gail willingly stayed with Diana for her senior year in high school when Don got orders back to CA in San Diego. She looked at it like Don got deployed again and the two ladies made memories for a lifetime. She also made lifelong friends she stayed in touch with until the very end.

San Diego was short lived the first time as Don received orders to become the Military Attaché of the United States for the US Embassy in Canberra, Australia. Don has long said that posting was a gift for Gail because she was able to do what she loved and did best. Entertain! Their two and half years were spent wining and dining with important dignitaries from countries all over the world. Her main frustration was she was supposed to cook as she would in the states, but she couldn’t get important staples she needed. She enlisted the help of me, her college aged daughter, to send her box upon box of items she needed to make some of her famous dishes at the time. Sadly, their time in the beautiful Australian home they lived in was cut short as Don received orders to go back to San Diego about 6 months early.

The transition back to the states came easily for both, as moving was something they were accustomed to at that stage in their lives. San Diego ended up being their final home together where they made a wonderful life for themselves post military service. After Don retired from 33 years of serving this great country in the Navy, Gail needed to find something to keep them both busy, so she decided to start a business, Management Assist. It was a resounding success and kept them extremely busy for nearly 20 years. That also opened so many doors for Gail to get involved and make even more lifelong dear friends and continue her philanthropic endeavors with the many organizations mentioned earlier.

As her family grew, she spent more time doting on her 3 grandchildren who brought her so much joy. She shared her love of travel with her entire family and took many local and international trips with varying groups of family members. She famously preferred meeting up with her children and their families on major wedding anniversaries in Hawaii to celebrate. She made the most of her last year by taking a Northeast Cruise with her two best friends, a 3-week European river cruise with a large part of her immediate family, and two final weeks on her beloved Balboa Island. During her time on Balboa she was included in the BIG secret that her eldest grandson, Taylor, proposed to his girlfriend of 4 years.

As the end drew near, she decided she wanted to have one last big party and proceeded to plan her own “Celebrate Life with Gail” including doing her own invitations. She didn’t trust anyone else to do them to her standards! Gail so enjoyed seeing and being showered with love by so many family and friends. The day was truly special and she savored every moment!

Finally, as I conclude what was a spectacular life, I reflect on some of my favorite things about Mom that come to mind:

• She was “My Energizer Bunny” She never slowed down!

• Mom talked me off so many ledges I cannot even begin to say

• She was my voice of reason

• The ultimate peace keeper

• I always called her “The Family Neighborhood Food Pusher” which ironically the apple did not fall far from the tree

• Mom was my favorite travel buddy because we looked at everything as an adventure and had so much fun together. Oh, the stories and beautiful memories!

I will never stop missing Mom, but I am so thankful we had her for as long as we did. She was everyone’s best friend because she was the most thoughtful, generous, classy, and beautiful person inside and out! I Love You Forever, Mom!

There will be no additional services per Gail’s request, and she will be interred at Miramar National Cemetery in an immediate family only service. In lieu of gifts or flowers, please make a donation in Gail’s name to one of the following organizations:

• Globe Guilders - https://www.theoldglobe.org/support-us/individual-contributions/ways-to-give/

• Friends of East County Arts - https://www.friendsofecarts.org/donate

TOODLES!

XOXO