George William Gail

George William Gail, Jr., known to all as “Bill,” was born in Baltimore, Maryland on December 17, 1919. He was the second born of four children, all of whom pre-deceased him. He attended the University of Virginia but left before graduating to join the Army Air Force during World War II. As a bombardier, he flew in 30 missions between April-August, 1944, including two on D-Day. Upon returning home, he attended and graduated from Spartan Aeronautical Institute in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

He embarked on a career in aeronautical engineering which then segued into the field of aviation insurance. Working at USAIG in Baltimore, he met his wife-to-be, Ann Paxson, in the company elevator. After a four year courtship, they wed and moved to Sudbury, Massachusetts in the early 1960’s to open a satellite office for the insurance company, American Mercury. Upon American Mercury’s demise, he decided to go out on his own and started Gail Aviation Insurance, an aviation insurance brokerage company. Because of Bill’s honesty, integrity, and hard work, it was the premier private plane and fixed base operator aviation insurance brokerage company in New England from the 1960’s until his retirement in the late 1980’s. Bill and his wife, Ann, retired to Falmouth, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. Ann passed away in 1998; shortly after that, Bill moved to Colorado to be closer to his children.

Bill and his wife have two children, also named Bill and Ann, who both live in the Denver area. Son Bill and his wife, Elke Meier, have two children: a daughter, Kirstin, who resides in Noosa, Australia with her husband, Grant Hinner, and a son, Peter, who lives in Denver. Bill’s daughter, Ann, and her husband, Justin Jaschke, have three children, Caroline, Julia and Mark Jaschke.

Bill always was interested in trying new things. He took up skiing in his late 40’s to make sure his kids knew how to ski, he mastered sailing in his 60’s and 70’s in order to enjoy the waters off of Cape Cod, and he tried his best at understanding the computer age in his 80’s and 90’s.

He was a good friend to many, known for his kindness and good humor. He is greatly loved by his family who will remember him for his unwavering support, his endearing laugh and ability to tell a good joke, and his genuineness, among many other fine qualities. He will be sorely missed by all.

Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the PKD Foundation (Polycystic Kidney Disease); pkdcure.org.

A Celebration of Life will take place at the Vi of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, May 13, 2017.