It is with great sadness that the family of Gail Turner Greenway, 75, announces her passing on Sunday, June 24, 2018.
Gail will be lovingly remembered by her children, Mark (Dana) Greenway and Andrea Turpin. Gail will also be fondly remembered by her three grandchildren, Andrew, Alexander and Asher; sister, Nan Roper; brother, Rodney (Doris) Turner; sister-in-law, Mary Grace Greenway; and nieces and nephews.
Gail was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Greenway; sister, Debbie Turner; and her brother-in-law, Charles Greenway.
Gail Greenway was born on July 4, 1942. She used to tell us when we were young, that that was why there were fireworks on the 4th of July…it was for her birthday!
In 1964, mom married our dad, Ralph Greenway. He was the love of her life. They were married for 50 years before his passing in May 2014. Unable to have children of their own, they decided to adopt. They adopted a 6-week-old baby boy in 1970 they named Mark. A couple of years later in 1972, they adopted an 8-week-old baby girl they named Andrea. Our parents loved us as though we were their own biological children. They were steadfast in their love and support of us…even throughout the teenage years! They were the best parents we could have ever asked for.
If you knew our mom, you would know that she loved books. She had a library full of hundreds of books that she read and often reread. She was always adding to her library. She loved getting lost in her books and the stories they told. It was not unusual for her to start reading a book and stay up all night until she finished. Mom would read to us regularly before bedtime. It was one of our fondest memories. We would snuggle up next to her and she would read to us until we couldn’t keep our eyes open any longer. Then, she would tuck us gently into bed with a kiss goodnight.
She also loved the beach. She and our dad would walk “The Loop” at Wrightsville Beach every night. She loved the fresh salt air and believed that it was one of the reasons she was never sick. They would walk their little dog, Luscious, around The Loop with them. And when Luscious became too old, they got her a little baby stroller to push her in so that she wouldn’t miss out on their walks together.
Mom came from a very close and loving family. Born in Georgia, she was the eldest daughter of the late James and Elizabeth Turner. She had two sisters, Debbie, now deceased, Nan, who is two years younger than her and one of her best friends, and Rodney, who she affectionately called “Bubba.” A couple of times at church, when Nan would visit, people would say, “Gail, is this your daughter?” Mom would look shocked, like she was totally insulted, and Nan would laugh and think it was great. They would retell the story to everyone and just laugh and laugh.
The truth is, mom didn’t have a jealous bone in her body. She was very sure of who she was and what she believed in. She was genuinely happy for other people and their successes and would pray, with all her heart, for someone who was in need of prayer. She was unwavering in her love of God. She was a devoted Christian and lived her life always striving to be the best witness for her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
A celebration of Gail’s life will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, June 30, at Fellowship Baptist Church, 5709 Murrayville Road, Wilmington.
Memorial donations in memory of Gail may be made to Fellowship Baptist Church, 5709 Murrayville Road, Wilmington, NC 28405.
Share online condolences with the family at andrewsmortuary.com.
