Patricia Gail Young Thee was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1937. Her parents were James and Thelma Young, who lived in Savannah, Georgia. Gail often said she was special-she was raised as an only child although she had a brother and sister, Richard and Gerry, who were in high school when Gail joined the family, and they soon left the nest.

Gail was expected to be a good student, and she was grateful that came easily. The summer she graduated from Savannah High School, expecting to start college in the fall, her father had a serious heart attack. Not knowing if he would be able to work again, Gail’s mother suggested she get a secretarial job and attend college at night her first two years. Gail quickly found a job with the Chatham County Schools as a stenographer because she knew typing and shorthand. She enjoyed her day job and signed up for evening classes at Armstrong College.

While at Armstrong, Gail met a young man who would change her life – William Fredrick Thee. Bill was beginning his college education after serving four years in the Navy. He worked for Savannah Trucking Co. and wanted to get a degree in Transportation. Bill and Gail both graduated from Armstrong in 1957. When Gail told him she got a scholarship for her last two years at Emory, Bill said, “I’ll move to Atlanta too.” so he asked his company to transfer him Gail settled in at Emory, and Bill moved in with some Savannah boys and started evening classes at Georgia State University.

Bill and Gail married in 1959, just as she was finishing her teaching degree at Emory. She got a position as an 11th grade English teacher with Atlanta Public Schools. She loved teaching! She was so proud when Bill completed his degree in Transportation at Georgia State in June 1961 – one month before daughter Melanie was born!

When Melanie was still a baby, the family moved back to Savannah. Their son Michael was born, Gail loved being a mother and decided not to resume teaching until both children were in school, a decision she never regretted!

A few years later Bill was transferred back to Atlanta, where they built a house and settled both children in kindergarten. Gail began taking classes at Georgia State to complete her master’s degree. After Melanie and Mike were comfortable in elementary school, Gail returned to teaching high school Language Arts. She taught for 25 years and retired from Gwinnett County’s Parkview High in 1998.

After Melanie and Michael graduated from the University of Georgia, they married and settled in the Atlanta area. Gail was so excited when the grandchildren began to arrive! Melanie and Scott were the proud parents of Cory and Olivia. Mike and Angela added Sara and Jessica to the family. Gail often repeated the old cliché, “If I had known grandchildren were so much fun, I would have had them first!”

After Bill and Gail both retired, they moved to Suwanee. For the next ten years, they traveled – did they ever! They toured the USA, Canada, and Europe. After a few cruises, Bill said he preferred renting a car and driving himself, including England which Gail found “left side of the road terrifying!”

While living in Suwanee, Bill and Gail belonged to Duluth United Methodist Church, where they both sang in the choir for several years. When Bill began to suffer from Dementia, Gail cared for him at home until he was 89. After his death at 90, Gail moved to Gainesville to be near her daughter.

Gail considered her two children, Melanie and Michael, to be her biggest blessing. They continued to love and care for her as she grew old.

I lieu of flowers donations may be made to Duluth First United Methodist Church, 3208 Duluth Hwy, Duluth, GA 30096.

Graveside service will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 17, 2024 in Bonaventure Cemetery with Rev. Barry Giddens officiating.