Gail Weber

Gail Weber was a woman with an amazing heart. She made her family her life’s work. It was evident by the life she lived that she fully embraced that being a mother is truly a matter of the heart, and becoming a grandmother was simply the icing on the cake. Gail was there for anyone at anytime, not because she had to be, but because she wanted to share fully in the lives of the people she loved. She was truly a ray of sunshine for those close enough to receive the gift of her warmth.

The 1960s marked a shift from the idyllic innocence of the previous decade into a slow burn of social unrest. Protest movements were at the forefront of discussion as more and more U.S. troops headed for Vietnam. Despite the looming problems within the American society, people still wanted to have fun. It was the golden age of drive-in theaters and the Beatles owned the top of the charts. In the working-class port town of Baltimore, Maryland, Robert Propts and Maggie (Chambers) Hayes were welcoming a tiny bundle of joy into their family with the birth of their daughter, Verlie Gail, on October 15, 1961.

Gail, as she was called, was the second youngest of four children; she had two older sisters, Barbara and Anne, and younger brother, Rocky. She grew up in Zeigler, Illinois, where she was a good student and on the color guard team (Indianettes) in the DuQuion schools. After graduating, Gail settled down and became the proud mother of two beautiful children: Melissa and Matt. Gail was the definition of motherhood. From baking cookies and making homemade Halloween costumes to being involved in PTO and school activities, her passion was to support her family. Although being a mother was her main occupation, Gail was pushed to return to school and further her education. She entered beauty school, and began earning a living as a hairstylist.

After some time, Gail and her children moved to Okeechobee, Florida, and it was here that she met a wonderful man named Billy Weber. Gail loved to dance, and it wasn’t long before Billy was her dance partner, and with that their love story had begun. After 5 years of “dancing” together, Gail and Billy were married on July 1, 2000. Billy brought more than just his love into Gail’s life; he had two children of his own, Tracy and Cody, and Gail welcomed and loved them like her own. To provide for their family, Billy was a pipefitter welder and his work would eventually lead them to move to Michigan, when he joined the Local 357. The couple settled in a home in Vicksburg, but when the children were all grown and on their own, they moved to a smaller home in Galesburg.

Raising her family and working gave Gail a full life. After getting settled in Michigan, she decided to stop doing hair and went to work in shipping and powder coating at Landscape Forms, a company that makes commercial grade furniture and accessories. Her happiest moments, however, always involved the time that she spent with her family. A doting grandmother, Gail was in her glory when surrounded by the love and smiles of her eight grandchildren: Federico Jr., Patricia, Trenton, Hayle, Cayle, Kalissa, Jenna and Michael. Also numbered to her family was her big fluffy dog, Gretchen, who was named after Gail’s favorite country singer, Gretchen Wilson. Gail loved to cook for her family, and was affectionately called the “cookbook queen” because of her many delicious dishes, particularly her baked goodies and sausage cheese balls, which were legendary. On many occasions, her daughter, Missy, tried to duplicate her mother’s recipes, following them to the “t”, but it was never the same.

Gail and Billy was a sociable couple, enjoying time with friends and family. They would get together with friends to play cards, particularly Euchre. Because Gail loved Halloween and both their birthdays were in October, the couple hosted an outrageous Halloween party every year, complete with displays, candy and lots of friends. Aside from ghoulish decorations, Gail also had a collection of bears and angels, reflecting her softer side. In 2006, Gail was diagnosed with breast cancer and after undergoing treatment, the disease went into remission. However, it came back a couple of years later, and after a valiant fight, Gail passed away on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at Rose Arbor surrounded by the family she loved so dearly.

What gave Gail the greatest joy was sharing herself with her family, offering them the most precious thing she possessed – her time. It is a gift none of them will ever forget.

Visit with her family and friends, view her life story film and share light refreshments on Sunday, April 3, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Life Story Funeral Home, 5975 Lovers Lane, Portage (344-5600). Visitation followed by a graveside service will be held on Tuesday, April 5, at 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at VanTrease Funeral Home in Zeigler, Illinois.

Besides her parents, Gail is survived by her husband, Billy Weber; her children: Melissa (Federico Martinez) Heumann, Matt (Krista Campbell) Heumann; her stepchildren: Tracy (Chad Huff) Weber and Cody (Ashley Perez) Weber; her grandchildren: Trenton Heumann, Patricia & Federico Jr. Martinez, Haylie, Caylie, Kalissa & Jenna Brooke Huff, and Michael Weber; her grandmother, Verlie Chambers; her sisters, Barbara (Dan) Tarr and Anne (A.J.) Mills; her brother, Rocky Flack; as well as many other relatives. Gail was preceded in death by her infant granddaughter, Kaitlin Heumann. Please visit Gail’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory, upload a photo and/or sign her online guest book before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the West Michigan Cancer Center.