Gail Mogel Tillotson

Born Oct. 10, 1941 in Philadelphia, she was the daughter of the late Stanley Lyman Mogel and Elva Ramsey Mogel. She was married for 55 years to the late William M. Tillotson, who died in 2022.

A graduate of Abington High School in Abington, Pa., she studied social studies, geography and English at Penn State University and Temple University. In 1963, she earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Michigan. She continued her postgraduate education at Michigan, earning her master’s degree in counseling and guidance in 1966.

During her time in Michigan, she and her husband helped launch a youth crisis center in Detroit with three other couples. For five years, she was a central figure in running support groups and keeping the crisis center open 24 hours, seven days per week. She often worked 18-hour days between work and counseling teenagers, often welcoming youths into her own home.

She later felt called to the seminary, and joined the second wave of women to serve as clergy. She completed her master of divinity degree at Lancaster Theological Seminary in 1982 before joining Lancaster’s First United Methodist Church as director of outreach and visitation programs. She served in a wide range of roles at the church, eventually becoming a full-time pastor, serving seven churches before retiring in 2007.

While working toward her divinity degree in the late 1970s and early 1980s, she served as park chaplain at Cowans Gap State Park, where she resided with her husband after falling in love with the area. She also loved dogs, especially her cherished Labrador Retrievers.

She is survived by her brother, Arnold Mogel, sister-in-law, Cathy Mogel, a son, David Tillotson, and a daughter-in-law, Deb Grove.

Graveside services will be held at a future date.