Gail Stewart

Published 8:07 pm Saturday, July 20, 2013

Gail Stewart passed away in her sleep after a long battle with early onset dementia. Gail is survived by her husband, Richard; a cousin, Linda May; and an uncle, Ashby Milstead.

Stewart

Gail was born on June 10, 1945, to O’Dell Milstead and Sadie Clements Milstead in Farmville. Her family lived in Lynchburg for a time before settling permanently in Crewe. Gail graduated from Crewe High School in 1963 and went to Longwood College to study music education. She graduated cum laude in three and a half years and was hired by the Chesapeake Public School System to teach elementary school music. She earned her master’s in education from Norfolk State University with emphasis on gifted and talented students. Gail was selected to be part of the original staff at the Chesapeake Demonstration School. She married Richard in 1984 and began to move to various schools within the Chesapeake school system until she retired, after 35 years of teaching, from Southwestern Elementary School. She joined Richard at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy for her last three years of teaching.

Gail enjoyed gardening to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. She was a member of the Butterfly Society of Virginia until 2008. She and Richard were the subjects of several articles highlighting their love of raising butterflies and moths. Gail enjoyed traveling and loved her cats, of which she had four. Her license plate, LUV KATZ, was included in an article on personalized plates in the Virginian-Pilot.

The family would like to thank Harry Berquist, the staff at the “Piedmont” at Warwick Forest and Cathie Bresnahan who have lovingly cared for Gail over the past several years. We would also like to thank Atlantic Aviation Services of Newport News for their help and support.

A celebration of life service will be held Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at 3 p.m. at Parr Funeral Home & Crematory with the Rev. Michael D. Halley officiating. Gail will be buried in her family’s plot at Chimney Hill Cemetery in Lynchburg. Memorial gifts can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or to The Butterfly Society of Virginia. Condolences may be registered online at www.parrfuneralhome.com.