Gail Margaret Thompson

Gail Margaret Thompson (née Garratt) died at 8:20 am, Sunday, February 19, 2023, at Grace Hospice in Regina, SK.  Gail was born in Milestone, SK on July 25, 1950 to Walter and Dorothy Garratt.  She was predeceased by her parents, and older brother, Ross, who died in infancy, and cousins Neil Garratt, Doug Hersberger, Dale Shaw, and Keith Shaw.  She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Gerry; her beloved sister, Ann Bishop, Ann's son, Jackson, cousins Wray Howard and Leslie Stafford and their families, cousins Lyle and Earl Garratt and their families; cousins Judy Glagau, Janet Smith, Susan Ward, Russell Hersberger, Betty Hersberger, Kate Hersberger, Chuck Hersberger, Larry Hersberger and their families; cousin Gwen Irvine and her family; and by Gerry's family: brothers Blair and Ron and their families, sisters Linda Hryhoriw, Lorna King and Shirley Gilbert, and their families. 

Gail will be missed by her wealth of friends, ranging from her happy childhood in Milestone to those gathered through her adult years.  Once you were Gail`s friend, you were a friend for life.  She will also be missed by her many valued colleagues from her career at the University of Regina.  She took pride in her rise from clerk in Human Resources to her long-held position at retirement as Assistant Registrar.  In that position she served as an executive member of Western Canadian and National Registrars Associations until she retired.

As a prairie farm girl, Gail loved the assorted menagerie at the family farm, especially her eccentric Welsh pony, Spooky, Ann's blind quarter horse, Rusty, and Shetland pony, King.  She was out on horseback, typically without a saddle, at every possible time, summer or winter.  During the cold Saskatchewan winters, she spent many happy hours at the Milestone Rink, watching her mom curl and developing her skills as a figure skater.  In warmer months she happily performed in track and field, softball and basketball (but not golf, Gerry's addiction in later years).  Always musical, she studied piano and voice at the Regina Conservatory of Music and was happy to sing at wedding ceremonies and other events.  She spent many happy years singing harmony with the Sweet Adelines chorus, traveling throughout Canada to perform in competitions.  An animal-lover all her life, she particularly adored her family's cocker spaniel, Tammy, her beloved cats, Fang, Purrsy Bysshe and Flicka.  During her illness, she was ever gladdened by Ann's cheerful little dog, Pippin.  She loved growing flowers, particularly in her rose garden.

A sun worshipper since her childhood, Gail loved retirement winters spent down south, twice in Mexico, and for a decade in her beloved Palm Springs, where she and Gerry happily engaged in a community of friends at the Balmoral, with fellow snowbirds from Oregon to North Dakota, from Minnesota to Maine, and from across Canada, from Vancouver Island to New Brunswick.  She spent endless sunny days working on group crossword puzzles, or playing "farmers' rummy”, and thoroughly enjoyed the regular "happy hours" spent in the pool pavilion.

The family would like to thank the numerous medical professionals who provided help and comfort during the last difficult days of her life, especially her family doctor, Barry Lotz, and the wonderfully supportive nursing staff at the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre`s and General Hospital's hemodialysis units as well as the Allan Blair Cancer Centre.  Her family is especially grateful to the sensitive and sympathetic people working for Palliative Care and the Grace Hospice.  Flowers are gratefully declined, but a donation in Gail`s memory to the Regina Humane Society or the Hospitals of Regina Foundation to support the city's hemodialysis units would be appreciated.