In Loving
Memory

Gail Martin

Apr 07, 2040 – Dec 23, 2011

Gail Martin

April 7, 1940 – December 23, 2011

Gail Martin, 71, of Bumpass, VA, died December 23, 2011, as a result of a car accident.

She is survived by her husband, Bill Martin; brother, Ken Johnston of Denville, NJ; sister-in law Ann Lawrence and her husband Paul of Bridgewater, NJ; son Christopher Pearmund of Broad Run, VA; daughter Kenna Huston and her husband Bill of Sterling, VA; daughter Tammy Thurmon and her husband Dyonous; and grandchildren Zachary and Zoe Seldon of Bumpass, VA. She is also survived by two stepdaughters, Cheryll Paull and Teri Kron, their five children, and six grandchildren.

The daughter of Albert Buck and Helen Parks Johnston, Gail was born in Gary, IN, on April 7, 1940. She went to Excelsior High School in Norwalk, CA and graduated in 1958.

Gail married Derek Pearmund in 1961 and moved to London, England, where her children Christopher and Kenna were born. Upon her divorce, Gail moved to California to pursue her education at Cal State Los Angeles, where she graduated in 1965 and began her teaching career.

Little did she know her mailman would become her husband! On February 10, 1968, Gail married William Bill Martin, who adopted Christopher and Kenna. Tammy was born in 1971.

Gail taught third grade at Rolling Hills and Acacia Elementary schools in Fullerton, CA, and relocated to Sterling, VA, in 1979. Gail began Spectrum– a gifted and talented program–in four Loudoun County Middle Schools and taught it until her retirement in 1998.

Gail and Bill retired to Bumpass VA in Louisa County, VA. Gail became a volunteer machine! She was the secretary of Volunteers of Louisa, the secretary of the Louisa County 2065 National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association NARFE, very active in the Lake Anna Rescue Squad, Lake Anna Civic Association, Louisa County Clean Community Commission, Jefferson Area Board for Aging JABA’s Home Delivered Meals program, and Meals on Wheels. She also served as President of the Piecemakers Quilt Club, where she initiated and planned their annual Quilt ‘N’ Craft Community Luncheon, Quilting Marathon and Quilting Retreat. Gail maintained a four-mile stretch of Adopt-A-Highway roads, and served on the board of directors for the Louisa Republican Committee.

Gail loved to cook and constantly provided her catering services for various fundraisers and organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Volunteers of Louisa and Lake Anna Rescue. She was a board member for Stage Alive Community Concert Association. She was also active as a writer for the Central Virginian and was a historian for many different organizations.

Gail was a true adventurer. She had traveled to all 50 states and extensively throughout the world. In all of her travels, she was most interested in connecting with locals in the community, especially children. She passed along this love for adventure and travel to her children and grandchildren and shared many travel adventures with them.

Gail was a consummate teacher. She taught thousands of students in school, but also taught people whom she met throughout her life. Chris Pearmund, her son, said the three most important things she taught her children were to be accountable, self-reliant, and to not be afraid. Her life lessons will live with those she touched forever.

In a handwritten letter from 1997, Gail said, The word that best describes my life is ‘LUCKY’! I was lucky to be born in America to parents who wanted and cared for me. I was lucky enough to have a very happy childhood and a brother to play with. I was very lucky that I had excellent health and so did my family. I was lucky enough to have enough money for enjoyment and yet not so much that I didn’t learn responsibility. I was very lucky to know what I wanted as a career and to enjoy my teaching so much. I was lucky to have three happy healthy children and two good husbands. I was lucky to live through some of the adventures I have had! I am lucky that when something bad happened afterwards it often turned out to be better than the first direction. I am lucky with health wealth and happiness.”

The Celebration of Life service for Gail Martin will be held at the Lake Anna Rescue building on Saturday 7 at 3 pm.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Lake Anna Rescue http://lari.org/support.html or to the Volunteers of Louisa http://www.thevol.org/.

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