Pamela Pethick Gale

Pamela Pethick Gale, 70, of Camp Hill, PA passed away on Tuesday, December 26, 2023 at Hershey Medical Center.

Born on January 4, 1953 in Kingston, PA, she was the daughter of the late Harry and Bernice (Johnson) Pethick. Her father, Harry Pethick, passed away while Pam was still an infant. Bernice later remarried to former Pennsylvania Governor John S. Fine and "The Gov," as Pam called him, was like a father to her. Growing up in the home of the former Governor, Pam had occasion to meet numerous Pennsylvania political luminaries such as Governor Bill Scranton, Senator M. Harvey Taylor, and "Mr. Republican" George Bloom. She attended the 1968 Republican National Convention and met then Presidential candidate Richard Nixon. Pam and her mother also traveled to Gettysburg for tea with Mamie Eisenhower.

Pam was a graduate of Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School in Kingston, PA. It was there she met and fell in love with Randall G. Gale (Randy). They both graduated from Wilkes University in 1974. Pam received her bachelor's degree with honors in elementary education. They married during the summer after graduation and moved from the Wyoming Valley area to Central Pennsylvania. Pam supported them with employment in the Personnel Office of the Pennsylvania Department of General Services while Randy obtained his law degree from Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, PA. Pam would later leave her position with The Commonwealth to raise their family. She went on to teach at the Camp Hill Presbyterian Church Preschool, and then later was a Title 1 reading instructor with the Camp Hill School District. She loved teaching little children, and the little children loved her.

Pam has been a long time member of the Camp Hill Presbyterian Church and has served multiple terms there on the Board of Deacons. She was a past president of the Country Club Hills Association in Camp Hill, as well as a member of both the Junior League of Harrisburg and the Dauphin County Lawyers Auxiliary. In addition, she also served as a Cub Scout den mother, as well as Secretary for the local Council of Boy Scouts of America. She was not a true sports fan (she was fond of saying "it's only a game"), but she never missed her sons' baseball, football, soccer, swimming, or track contests. In her free time, she loved cooking and reading. During their forty-nine years of marriage, Pam and Randy enjoyed much travel. Favorite trips included family vacations to Cape Cod and Nantucket, as well as multiple cruises with friends and relatives. Pam was an animal lover, and over her lifetime she had a number of beloved dogs (Gretel, Schultz, Norman, and Rockwell) and cats (Boots, Muffin, Hobo, Spooky, and Jeeves).

Pam is survived by her husband, Randall G. Gale, of Camp Hill, two sons, Dr. R. Glenn Gale, Jr of Berkeley Heights, NJ, and Christopher S. Gale and his wife Erica, of Haddonfield, NJ, and three grandchildren, William, Avery, and Colin Gale.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her stepfather, Governor John S. Fine, a sister, Suzanne Dunphy, two brothers, Gordon and Robert Pethick, and two stepbrothers, John S. Fine, Jr, and Donald Fine.

On occasion, Pam would say to her husband and sons, "You will miss me when I'm gone." She was never so right.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at the Camp Hill Presbyterian Church, 101 N. 23rd St., Camp Hill, PA, with Pastor Nancy Conklin and Pastor Don Potter officiating. Pam would appreciate "collared shirts" for the gentlemen, please. A visitation with Pam's family will be held in the church on Saturday from 9:00 A.M. until the time of the service. All friends and family are invited to attend a reception to be held in the church fellowship hall immediately following the service. Myers-Baker Funeral & Cremation Services, Camp Hill, has been entrusted with funeral arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to Camp Hill Presbyterian Church Preschool, 101 N. 23rd St., Camp Hill, PA 17011, https://www.chpcpreschool.org/ , or to a charity of your choosing that supports the care of animals.