Gail Thompson

Born at home in Toronto to Ivadell and Mac McEwen on November 29, 1936, Gail passed away unexpectedly in Richmond Hill on October 20, 2022 at the age of 85. She is survived by her lifelong love and friend, her husband Darryl.

Gail was a life long member of Girl Guides of Canada, Willowdale Group of Artists, and Thornhill Studio Artists. Her working life started as an operator at Bell Canada, and upon graduation from Teacher’s College, she taught elementary students until after she married her high school sweetheart Darryl (who moved onto her street in grade twelve, and their fates were set). As was common at the time, she was no longer permitted to teach while visibly pregnant, so she left teaching to raise her family, starting with Warren, and followed by Linda four years later.

Gail often spoke of how she had always lived close to Yonge Street. With each move, she went further north, and she was residing with Darryl at Richmond Hill Retirement Home until her death. Even the cottage in Huntsville fits that Yonge Street criteria.

The cottage was the joy of hers and Darryl’s summers. Bought by her Grandparents in the summer of 1920, the family celebrated a subdued 100 years in 2020 with a day visit. Gail and Darryl returned to the cottage for one week with family in the summer of 2021. Thanksgivings were an especially important time at the cottage. She was happy her family was able to gather from all across Canada this year to celebrate, and she and Darryl joined in via FaceTime. She was always an avid card player. Many afternoons and evenings were spent with the family playing cards or board games. There are many memories of her helping her grandsons play and later they returned the favour.

Guiding was also Gail’s life long passion, from joining Brownies as a young girl to running a Ranger group, to being Provincial Ranger Coordinator later in her career, and serving on so, so many committees. The friendships Gail made in Guiding lasted her lifetime.

Art was also a passion. Upon her mother’s death in 1976 Gail honoured her commitment to herself to take up painting. She started in oils, and moved to watercolours until she was finally unable to join her art groups due to the pandemic. She was a prolific artist. Forests, water and alizarin skies always brought her joy.

Gail gathered friends from all areas of her life. From her Church, her bridge clubs, her schools (public school, Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute, Teacher’s College), Guiding, her Art groups, her neighbourhood and more, Gail had so many cherished friends!

We would be remiss in telling you about Gail without mentioning her love of Christmas, entertaining, cooking and making desserts! But you all know about that. (You would not know Gail without knowing her joy of expressing her love through her baking!)

Most importantly though, Gail’s world was her family. Her husband of 62 years Darryl; their son Warren and his wife Johanne, and their sons Eric (& Megan) and Paul; their daughter Linda and her husband Stéphane, and their sons Marc and Philip; her late sister Donna and her husband Don, their sons Bruce (& Barb), Brian, and Doug (& Caroline); Darryl’s late sister Joyce and her husband Ted, their children Peter and Katharine (& Volker); her many cousins, honorary aunts and uncles. She will be greatly missed by all.

Visitation will take place at Kane-Jerrett Funeral Home (8088 Yonge St. Thornhill) on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at 2-4pm. Gail's Funeral Service will take place Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at 1:30pm at Holy Trinity Church Thornhill. A reception will follow the Funeral Service at the church. Masks will be readily available.

A private interment will be taking place on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at Holy Trinity Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to the charity of your choice to honour Gail’s love of life, education and creativity would be appreciated. And please consider performing an act(s) of kindness in her memory. She was always giving in her younger years, and was grateful when receiving people’s help in her later years.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.kanejerrett-thornhill.ca for the Thompson family.