Gail Eileen Davis-Santana

Gail E. Davis-Santana departed this life on June 2, 2020. She was born January 19, 1952, in Philadelphia, PA. to the late Elijah and Pauline Davis. Her brother, William (Bucky) Davis preceded her in death in February 2014.

Gail was a faithful steward of Jesus Christ. She started her Christian journey and was baptized at an early age. She was an avid reader of the Bible and dedicated her life to following the teachings of Jesus Christ. Gail attended Tabernacle Voice of Deliverance Church in Norfolk, VA until her illness prevented her from doing so.

Gail attended the public schools in Philadelphia. After graduating from the Philadelphia High School for Girls, she attended Shippensburg State College where she majored in Sociology. Gail received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1972. After teaching in the Philadelphia Public School System for a short period of time, Gail enrolled at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst. She received her Masters in Education with a concentration in counseling in 1975.

In April 1983, Gail married Clyde Santana. To this union was born a son, Mark. Gail and Clyde lived in New Jersey until 1984 when Clyde’s assignment as an officer in the United States Navy transferred him to Norfolk, VA.

While raising her son and supporting her husband, Gail worked in the social services profession helping others at all times. For more than 30 years Gail worked in various capacities as a social worker, substance abuse counselor, patient advocate, and state licensing inspector and trainer for adult and child daycare facilities. Gail retired from the Virginia Department of Social Services in January 2017.

Gail loved theater and film. For over 40 years, Gail collaborated with her husband, Clyde, on several projects. She co-authored plays (“Phantom of the 87th Street Playground” and “Alphatricity”) for 3 community children’s theaters in South Carolina and Virginia and co-wrote two Equity produced plays (“BO” and “Phantom of the 87th Street Playground”) at Bushfire Theater in Philadelphia, PA. Gail was the co-recipient of a National Endowment of the Arts Creation and Presentation Award in 2000 for the musical theater play “BO”. Her screenplay with Clyde, “A Playground Miracle” was a Top 100 finalist in the 2012 Sundance “Read my Screenplay” Competition and it won the sci-fi/fantasy feature screenplay category at the International Family Friendly Film Festival in 2016. Teleplay and Short film projects co-written and co-produced by Gail have been screened in the Capital Black Film Festival in 2013 (The Way) and in 2015 (Welcome Home Daddy Seal). Their screenplay, “Scholarship” renamed “Ace and Bingo’s Butt Revenge” was a finalist in the South Carolina Underground Film Festival, Feature Screenplay Category in 2017. Their latest screenplay, “Angels in Hip Hop Land” achieved finalist honors and a section of their screenplay was read along with their second submission, “Ace and Bingo’s Butt Revenge” at the 2018 Peachtree Village International Film Festival in Atlanta, GA. Their screenplay “Angels in Hip Hop Land” was selected as a finalist in the Beverly Hills Film Festival in 2019 and most recently, as a finalist in the 2019 Virginia Screenplay Competition.

Gail was always thinking of others and helping however she could help. She routinely made monetary donations to support the Foodbank of Southeastern VA, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and the Attucks Writers’ Workshop, of which she was a co-founder. She volunteered to be a playwright advisor for Bushfire Theater/Lincoln University’s Langston Hughes Writers’ Workshop from 2013 until her death and was a resident writer for Bushfire Theater from 1990 until her death. Gail enjoyed teaching young writers how to craft a stage play or a screenplay. Gail practiced daily the philosophy of helping others. She never looked for personal fame. She truly believed that what she did was about the people she served, those that she helped, and the cause that she believed in. Gail believed in her country and always displayed flags in front of her house on Memorial Day in honor of what she believed.

Gail loved her family. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends and most recently zoom parties where she was able to see and interact with family. She also loved to read and dance. Gail was a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, and cousin. Gail will be profoundly missed. She leaves to mourn her passing, her devoted husband, Clyde; her son Mark; two sisters, Cynthia (Cindy) Davis and Karen Davis; two sisters-in-law, Edith Olivera and Cecilia Santana; and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and other family members and friends.