Gail taught elementary school in the Collingswood School System for 19 years at both the William P. Tatem and Zane North schools. She and her husband, Robert, had two daughters, a son, and four grandchildren.
I met Gail in eighth grade. She was a quiet girl, but always friendly and cheerful. As I recall, we were both in Mr. Harper's homeroom, 8-2. I even "dated" her briefly in those early years of adolescence when your parents chauffered you to the movies or miniature golf. In high school, Gail and Fred Walker were an item for awhile. There's even a picture in The Shield of the two of them at the junior prom.
When I transferred to Rugers Camden at the begining of my sophomore year of college, there was Gail. She was dating a fellow named Bob Zane. You can guess how they met. Bob and Gail eventually married and settled down in Bob's hometown of Collingswood where she became a teacher in the local school system and the mother of three children.
Gail and I were best friends in high school but as often happens went our seperate ways for college. I kept up with her through Ann Sterner Tyler but didn't really see her as we lived in different states and like everyone else were busy raising families and working. Then in 2004 we got together for the first time in many years in New York City and all those years just melted away. We picked up about where we had left off 40 years before and stayed in close contact until her death. She had not changed one bit and that smile was as big and beautiful as ever.
Gail said something once that ultimately changed my life!
I heard Gail say she wanted to be a Navy nurse. I never heard her mention it again; I should have asked her about it but never did and I don’t remember when she said it, probably in school, between classes. And as I see from Vicki, Ed and Jackie’s posts, Gail’s love of teaching and her love of children prevailed.
I never told anyone of my own childhood dream to join the Navy. Aside from two of my Mom’s friends who were WWII WAVES, I didn’t know any servicewomen. But if a bright, attractive, respected girl like Gail could think it, well…… As for me, I finished college and worked in libraries.
Years later I told this story to an older coworker who told me to quit talking and start moving. She said I could be a librarian at any age but the Navy had a cut off. Four months later I was in Yorktown, VA, raising my hand. A total 180◦. Of course it wasn’t always 25 years of “easy sailing,” but I can honestly say that I never regretted a day, never said it counts for 20. I married another sailor, a great guy who loves the Navy and likes to travel as much as I do. I’m still amazed that I could make that dream happen.
We thank Gail's husband, Bob Zane, for contributing the following information about Gail.
After graduating from HMHS, Gail attended Rutgers where she met her future husband, Bob Zane, in the fall of 1966. They were married in June of 1969 and eventually had 3 children, Kristen, Lauren & Rob. Gail was passionate about teaching and taught first grade and basic skills in the Collingswood school system for 20 years. She was diagnosed with cancer in April of 1998, but continued to teach until her health forced her to retire in December of 2006. She passed away on November 13, 2007, less than two weeks after her 60th birthday, having only met four of her seven grandchildren. Many of her students, some in high school and college, paid their respects at her passing.
Vicki Meece (Knowles)
Gail taught elementary school in the Collingswood School System for 19 years at both the William P. Tatem and Zane North schools. She and her husband, Robert, had two daughters, a son, and four grandchildren.
Ed Madden
I met Gail in eighth grade. She was a quiet girl, but always friendly and cheerful. As I recall, we were both in Mr. Harper's homeroom, 8-2. I even "dated" her briefly in those early years of adolescence when your parents chauffered you to the movies or miniature golf. In high school, Gail and Fred Walker were an item for awhile. There's even a picture in The Shield of the two of them at the junior prom.
When I transferred to Rugers Camden at the begining of my sophomore year of college, there was Gail. She was dating a fellow named Bob Zane. You can guess how they met. Bob and Gail eventually married and settled down in Bob's hometown of Collingswood where she became a teacher in the local school system and the mother of three children.
Jackie Hoffmeier (Lee)
Gail and I were best friends in high school but as often happens went our seperate ways for college. I kept up with her through Ann Sterner Tyler but didn't really see her as we lived in different states and like everyone else were busy raising families and working. Then in 2004 we got together for the first time in many years in New York City and all those years just melted away. We picked up about where we had left off 40 years before and stayed in close contact until her death. She had not changed one bit and that smile was as big and beautiful as ever.
Kathleen Howell (Starnes)
Gail said something once that ultimately changed my life!
I heard Gail say she wanted to be a Navy nurse. I never heard her mention it again; I should have asked her about it but never did and I don’t remember when she said it, probably in school, between classes. And as I see from Vicki, Ed and Jackie’s posts, Gail’s love of teaching and her love of children prevailed.
I never told anyone of my own childhood dream to join the Navy. Aside from two of my Mom’s friends who were WWII WAVES, I didn’t know any servicewomen. But if a bright, attractive, respected girl like Gail could think it, well…… As for me, I finished college and worked in libraries.
Years later I told this story to an older coworker who told me to quit talking and start moving. She said I could be a librarian at any age but the Navy had a cut off. Four months later I was in Yorktown, VA, raising my hand. A total 180◦. Of course it wasn’t always 25 years of “easy sailing,” but I can honestly say that I never regretted a day, never said it counts for 20. I married another sailor, a great guy who loves the Navy and likes to travel as much as I do. I’m still amazed that I could make that dream happen.
Thank you Gail!
Vicki Meece (Knowles)
We thank Gail's husband, Bob Zane, for contributing the following information about Gail.
After graduating from HMHS, Gail attended Rutgers where she met her future husband, Bob Zane, in the fall of 1966. They were married in June of 1969 and eventually had 3 children, Kristen, Lauren & Rob. Gail was passionate about teaching and taught first grade and basic skills in the Collingswood school system for 20 years. She was diagnosed with cancer in April of 1998, but continued to teach until her health forced her to retire in December of 2006. She passed away on November 13, 2007, less than two weeks after her 60th birthday, having only met four of her seven grandchildren. Many of her students, some in high school and college, paid their respects at her passing.