Gail Ross

Gail Ross was born in Baltimore and raised in Baltimore County. A graduate of Towson University and the University of Maryland where she obtained a Master’s in Library Science, she devoted her professional life to serving children and families as a librarian in the Baltimore County Public Library system. During her distinguished career, she managed several libraries including the Arbutus branch, where she was admired for her leadership, helping to make the library a pillar of the community, and for her unwavering belief in the power of books to inspire, comfort, and open new worlds to young readers.

Gail had a lifelong passion for the art and literature of children’s books and found great joy in encouraging generations of children to discover the magic of reading. After her retirement, Gail and her beloved husband, Bruce, moved to Redmond, Washington, where she continued to nurture the family and friendships that meant so much to her.

At the center of her extended family, Gail was a true matriarch. She gathered loved ones around her table for holiday meals, celebrations, and countless moments of connection and laughter. Her home was a place of warmth and welcome, and she embraced family and friends with generosity, kindness, and genuine curiosity about their lives.

Mother, matriarch, lifelong lover of books, Gail Ross was a pure-hearted storyteller and devoted caretaker of her community. As a leader of libraries, a champion of children, and a treasured friend, she touched the lives of many and left an enduring mark on all who knew her.

Wife to Bruce and loving mother to David and Jonathan, Gail illuminated the lives of those around her with her boundless warmth, quick smile, and compassionate spirit. She is survived by her husband, Bruce; her son Jonathan; her daughters-in-law, Zhenya and Emily; her sister Rae Lynn Golberg (Edward), brother Sylvan Caplan (Lori) and her cherished grandchildren, Joe, Ellie, and Arlo.

Her legacy lives on in the stories she shared, the readers she inspired, and the family she loved so deeply.

Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend the funeral service to celebrate her life.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to Foundation for Baltimore County Public Library:

https://foundationforbcpl.org

Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

A funeral service will be held at Sunset Hills Memorial Park & Funeral Home, 1575 145th Pl. SE, Bellevue, Washington 98007, on July 20, 2026, from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm, with a live stream available at:

https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/c26071831428821.

A graveside service will be held at Sunset Hills Memorial Park & Funeral Home, 1575 145th Pl. SE, Bellevue, Washington 98007, on July 20, 2026, from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

A catered reception will follow in the Reception Hall at Sunset Hills.