Obituary of Gail Leota Smith

March 13, 1940 – Edmonton, Alberta

November 1, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta

Gail Leota Smith (nee Browning) passed away peacefully on Friday, November 1, 2024, at the home of her devoted partner of the last seventeen years, James Arthur Knight. Gail was born in Edmonton, AB, on March 13, 1940. She was the loving mother of Laurie, Sandra, and David, grandmother of Nicole, El, Shaun, Jamie, Arwen, and Beatriz, and great-grandmother of Violet, and Boden. 

Gail graduated from Strathcona High School in 1958, and the summers she worked at The Banff Springs Hotel were among her fondest memories. She studied Psychology in 1961 and Education in 1962 at the University of Alberta, where she met James Robin Neville Smith, whom she wed on August 31, 1962.

Gail was thrilled by the adventures brought by Jim’s oil industry career, which took them to Texas, Australia, Italy, and England, but Gail had a career of her own. She taught at several schools in Calgary before she moved abroad, and after her divorce, she played numerous roles in her community. She considered going back to school to study law, but instead, politics called, and she became the Reform Party’s Calgary West riding President. Gail always said, “Just you watch, our MP will be Prime Minister one day.” That MP was Stephen Harper. She then moved on to become the personal assistant to Canada’s first elected senator, Stan Waters. Gail worked as a Media Coordinator for the Calgary Olympics and volunteered at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. She was the first woman on the Silver Springs Golf Club board and didn’t hesitate to tell the guys when she thought they were out of bounds.

Gail’s later passions were travelling, shopping, or, dreamily, both together. She kept every card her children and grandchildren sent, shuffling them throughout her belongings, presumably so she would revisit them unexpectedly. Gail’s favourite saying was that she was “happy as a clam,” but she was more of an iridescent oyster to those who loved her. May her memory be cherished like a pearl.

As per Gail’s wishes, no service will be held, and her cremated remains will be scattered in Banff National Park.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Gail’s family here.

In living memory of Gail Smith, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Crowfoot, 82 Crowfoot Circle NW, Calgary, AB T3G 2T3, Telephone: 403-241-0044.