On the early morning of January 24, Gail climbed up on her longtime steed, Socrates, for one more adventure and rode off to greener pastures.
Our beloved mother, the greatest sister and friend to all she met — with a smile — will be dearly missed, as she was a precious gem of a human being.
Known for her hospitality near and wide, Gail was an excellent host and loved to entertain at the family cottage on Chebeague Island, Maine. Although not a chef by formal training, she could masterfully create dining experiences with the best of them. She attended Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa for formal pastry training and became famous for her sticky buns, granola and homemade pies. As Gail would say, “It’s all about the crust!”
Gail was in high demand for catered events for royalty and regular folks alike on Chebeague. Her wedding cakes were world-class creations.
Chebeague was her favorite place to be. Gail was always involved in the community, having lived there full-time for 15 years, and for all the other years of her life, she spent summers at the family cottage. Having learned the art of vegetable gardening from her grandmother, Emma, and her dad, Gail was an accomplished gardener, with a bounty of sunshine served at the dinner table. Gail made the best jellies with wild berries from her gardens.
Gail also reaped the bounties of the sea while clamming, fishing, lobstering and scalloping, and turned all into delectable dishes. One of her final culinary creations was for Christmas Eve when she made a masterpiece seafood lasagna for the family to enjoy.
Gail took great pride as the Maine Coastal Study for Girls head chef and nutritional educator, steering many a young adult to better understand the significance of lifelong proper nutrition. The girls there called her Gail the Goddess.
Carrying on her mother’s legacy as a successful independent business owner, Gail utilized those attributes as the foundation for running her lobster and catering businesses and chef educational career.
Gail loved the outdoors. Her dad taught her to be an accomplished telemark skier, putting many others to shame with her smooth style of slopeside downhill turns. Skinning her way to the top was a challenge she easily handled. Gail loved cross-country skiing and snowshoeing and enjoyed many winter seasons working at the Sugarloaf Outdoor Center. Counter seasonally, she enjoyed mountain biking, hiking, fishing, tennis and rowing. Her mother was also a maven in women’s fashion; thus, Gail developed her own style of outdoor gear mixed with fashionable pieces. Totally unique, totally Gail!
If you ever found yourself on the other side of the cribbage board from Gail or witnessed her tenacity at the pool table, you surely know how good her game was.
Although she never bragged about it, Gail was an accomplished watercolor artist. Her beautiful works adorn many family and friends’ homes.
Gail’s maternal grandmother, Marion, was the inspiration for a lifelong passion for sewing. Gail could handle a sewing machine with ease, making beautiful quilts of materials and fabric sourced from family heirlooms.
But Gail’s biggest love was for her two girls, Emma and Addie. After being in Vermont to be close to her dad in his final five years, Gail moved back to Maine in 2023 to enjoy the companionship of her daughters. They will always be her pride and joy.
Gail was predeceased by her loving parents, William W. Worthen and Rae M. Worthen. She would often reminisce about her childhood years at the family home in Mayfair Park in South Burlington, Vt., commenting about what a wonderful upbringing she had there with her brother and having the best of parents. Bill and Rae lived there for 62 years, and it was always Gail’s joy to return home for any occasion.
Gail is survived by two her beautiful daughters, Emma Rae Todd and Addie Frances Todd; her brother, Bradford J. Worthen; brother-in-law, Christopher J. Copley; her friends, Andrew Todd, Christopher LaCroix and Rick Hale; along with her kitty cat, Scout, who was by her side when she passed away.
A celebration of Gail’s life will be held on Wednesday, February 12, 11 a.m., at the Lindquist Funeral Home, 1 Mayberry Lane, Yarmouth, Maine, with a luncheon to follow.
In leu of flowers, please consider a donation in Gail’s name to one of her three favorite Chebeague Island institutions: the Chebeague Island Living History Farm at Second Wind Farm, the Chebeague Island Historical Society or the Chebeague Island Library.
This article appears in Jan 29 – Feb 4, 2025.