Obituary of Gail Matthew
Gail Louise Matthew, 73, of Irvington passed away Friday November 30th, 2018 at Calvary Hospital Bronx, New York following a lengthy struggle with skin cancer.
Gail was born October 17th, 1945 in East Philadelphia, PA a daughter of the late Frederick and Dorothy Robinson. She spent her childhood in Palmyra, NJ and was a 1963 graduate of Palmyra High School. After high school she attended Purdue University from which she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1968 and a Master of Science in Special Education in 1969. Gail was a proud member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and the Kappa Delta Pi honorary educational society.
While at Purdue Gail met David L. Matthew III whom she married on November 8th, 1969. After completing her education, Gail lived with her husband in Ambato, Ecuador from 1969 to 1970 while he was a volunteer in the Peace Corps. After returning to the U.S. in the early 1970s the couple lived in Peekskill prior to settling in Irvington in 1980.
Gail was a dedicated and inspirational teacher in the Chappaqua Central School district where she taught special education in the Douglas G. Grafflin Elementary School, retiring in 2006. Gail was also a devout Christian. She was affiliated with the Rise Up Christian Fellowship, and she was an active member of the Calvary Chapel of Westchester.
Gail was a devoted and loving wife, mother, and friend. She loved to travel. Throughout her life she had visited every U.S. state as well as many countries throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. She also loved knitting and card stitching.
In addition to her husband, Gail is survived by a daughter Melissa Parry and son-in-law William Parry of Holbrook, PA; two sisters Grace Stockl (Paul) of Peoria, AZ and Carol Pirtle (Mary) of Weld, ME; a sister-in-law Ann Matthew of Fairbanks, AK; four nieces, two nephews, several grand-nieces & grand -nephews; and a large group of friends.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that contributions be made to the Gail L. Matthew Memorial Scholarship Fund, PO Box 300, Crompond, NY 10517.
