Gail Perkins Richardson
Did you know Gail? Please share your stories and photos, and help spread the word about this page!
Gail Perkins Richardson, cherished mother and grandmother, passed away unexpectedly after a brief illness on August 30, 2022. She spent her last hours with her beloved children and grandchildren holding her hand, loving her and sitting with her. The world is a better place because Gail occupied it. We will miss our best friend and biggest champion but know our father is thrilled to see her.
Gail was born in 1941 in Tyler, Texas to Bascom Perkins, an attorney and Mildred (Lamb) Perkins, a long-time first grade teacher. She was the youngest of two daughters. She grew up in Mount Pleasant, Texas, and graduated from Mount Pleasant High School. She then attended East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas where she obtained a degree in library sciences.
Shortly after her graduation, she began working at Mobil Oil Corporation in Dallas where she met the love of her life, Daniel Waugh Richardson Jr. Three months after they met, they eloped and were married December 24, 1965.
Dan received a promotion to move to Jakarta, Indonesia and Gail became the first American wife to move to Jakarta. She became fluent in Bahasa Indonesian and enjoyed startling Indonesians visiting the US in her later years, when she would greet someone on an elevator or airport who was speaking the language. She enjoyed finding antiques from around the world in local markets and exotic orchids and plants along the sides of the roads. While stationed in Indonesia, Gail and Dan traveled the world many times, with Singapore and the Raffles Hotel being their favorite getaway. The tropics fed their mutual love of beautiful plants and gardening, something they would appreciate their entire lives.
Gail returned to the US to have her daughter Gwyn and then brought her back to Indonesia. The growing family returned to Dallas after being in Indonesia for five years and Mark was soon born. When Gwyn started kindergarten, Gail returned to work at Mobil Oil as a secretary, where she would work in various positions for more than 30 years. The family joked that every time she bought wallpaper, Dan would be offered a promotion; his work would carry the family to Denver, Colorado and then later back to Dallas. During that time, she would eventually become the administrative assistant to the General Manager for Mobil Oil Exploration and Producing in the United States and then became a supervisor for a group purchasing software services for the entire corporation. Her career with Mobil and then Exxon-Mobil brought her many lifelong friendships.
Upon her retirement, she frequently traveled to wherever Dan was working as a consultant in the domestic oil and gas industry or wherever her children were located.
The birth of her first grandchild, Creighton, brought her to spend much time in Galveston. She and Dan moved to their home on Tiki Island several years ago. Gail would frequently pick up Creighton from Trinity preschool and be seen around town having lunch with him. As he grew older, she loved spending time with him and most recently hearing about his new high school. The birth of her youngest grandchild, Blake, brought her much happiness and he loved spending time at her home.
Her greatest joys in life were her children, with whom she had a special bond. An avid reader, she loved reading to her children and grandchildren. She had a deep faith, nurtured from her upbringing and kept kindness as her central approach to life. Gail valued her Christian faith deeply and was a dedicated church member. A lady of deep integrity and grace, her word was her bond. Her hobbies included reading, cooking, antique shopping and traveling.
She and her husband were married almost 55 years prior to his death two years ago. She is survived by her sister, Scherry Perkins Braziel, daughter, Dr. Gwyn Richardson and son-in-law J. Randy Garcia and son, D. Mark Richardson, and daughter-in-law Holly Hopkins as well as grandsons Jonathan and Creighton Garcia and Blake Richardson. She was preceded in death by her parents.
The family would like to thank the staff in the MICU at UTMB League City for their kind compassionate care.
Gail's legacy is marked by her kindness, grit, honesty and her relationships with others. She was gentle, engaging in life with curiosity and respect but without fanfare. She was a true Southern lady and remained humble throughout her life, filled with compassion for those around her.
The family will hold a viewing at Carnes Brothers Funeral Home in Galveston on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 from 5-8 pm with funeral services on Thursday, September 8, 2022 at 11 am. Graveside services will be held thereafter at the Galveston Memorial Park in Hitchcock, Texas. In lieu of flowers, if you'd like to honor Gail's life, please consider a donation to the Rosenberg Library in Galveston, Texas or the Southeast Church of Christ in Friendswood, Texas.