September 15th, 1951, Ophelia and James Smith welcomed the 1st of their 6 children Gail and her twin Garland, whom as she always said, “my brother kicked me out”. Gail was the only girl of her six siblings. Gail was educated in the Cleveland Public school system, having attended Miles Standish Elementary, Empire Jr high and of course Glenville High School. (Tarblooder c/0 69). In fact, it was at Glenville that she met and then married her 1st husband and to this union her only child La Chelle Monet was born.
Gail decided at an early age that God would be and forever remain a part of her life. She was baptized by Rev. C.T. Nelson at the Greater Friendship Baptist Church and then later with her family moved her membership to Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church, where in her younger years she served on the Nurses Guild. Gail also visited and worshipped at St. Timothy’s Baptist Church where she spent her Sunday worship with her dad until his transition. After which Gail returned and remained a member at Union Grove until her Transition.
Along with her love of God, she had various interests. She loved fashion, she was a stickler for keeping her hair done and nails manicured. It was her passion for this that led to her doing hair shows for Mirror Mirror in the late 70’s and early 80’s. If social media had been around, she would have definitely been a viral sensation. Gail also had a love for fill it in number puzzles, crocheting, and baking old fashioned pound cakes, but her favorite of all was dancing. To see her hand dance with her brother Wesley was such an awesome sight.
Gail had a few jobs along her journey, but it was at Case Western Reserve University in 1984 that she found her career in the offices of Grants Accounting (she had a thing for numbers), and it was there that she remained for 29 years until she retired in 2013.
One of the best parts of her story is while out enjoying an evening in the Fall of 1988, she met a guy, James Howard who became the love of her lifetime and they wed in June of 1990. Together they shared 32 years of living, loving, and creating memories. One of which was her becoming the 2nd generation to serve as an Eastern Star in the Ancient York Rite of the Masonic Order in September of 1991. In those 30 plus years of service, she held many offices including Secretary and Past Worthy Matron of Lincoln Chapter #3, Treasurer of St.Mary’s court #2, Past Royal Matron of Amaranths of St. Christina’s, Past Grand Royal Matron of Ohio Court of Amaranths, Past Illustrious Commandress of Allah Court and Past Grand Illustrious Commandress of Delphi Grand Court. This organization, and the sisterhood she gained like her mother before her remained dear to her until she could no longer serve.
On September 4th, 2022, still in the Glenville neighborhood where she was raised, educated, lived, loved, and laughed, Gail left all her earthly crowns behind with her beloved husband James Howard near her side. As it had always been on her own terms, she declared to the angels above “IT IS FINISHED.” She quietly went to join her mother Ophelia, her father James M, and two brothers, James C and that dance partner Wesley, all of whom had been once hearing the word she was coming, patiently waiting to receive her and to adjust that final glorious crown.
Gail leaves to forever cherish and honor her memory her loving and dedicated family: husband James Howard McGhee, her only daughter: La Chelle Monet Smith-Witherspoon (Gregory); her bonus son Dominic McGhee (Katie); six grandchildren, her only granddaughter NaTosha, five grandsons: Brandon (Dejae) Jerome, Malik, Dominic McGhee II and Christopher; three great-grandchildren: her only great granddaughter MaKenya, great grandsons Key’Von and Kingston; Three brothers: Garland (her twin), Aaryon, Timon (Mya); Aunt Dena Dickerson, her niece and dedicated sitter Charlotte Fowler- Robinson and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, Church family, Eastern Star family and friends.