GAIL JOHNSON SERRELL
1945-2021
Gail Serrell was born in Houston June 21, 1945 and passed away September 4, 2021. She was the daughter of Dr. Gaylord Johnson and Louise Sakowitz Johnson.
Gail was a graduate of St John’s High School in Houston. She majored in French and graduated from Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She continued her French studies in Paris, France after graduation and enjoyed many trips to France during her life.
Her passions were horses, hounds, foxes and dachshunds. She earned her hunt colors with the Tryon Hunt and rode with them in the 1960s. Apart from foxhunting, she was an avid hunter rider in the show ring and won many top placings including Championships and Reserve Championships in the Working Hunters, Adult Hunters and Junior Hunters in shows all over the United States. For years, she had some of the best amateur hunters in the area including Virginia Dare and OnStar. Even after she declared herself done with riding after one too many falls on her rear (her words), she loved attending horse shows watching horses work and enjoyed breeding from her top mare, Schmoozin or “Lips”. She was a generous patron of equestrian programs and an advocate for the next generation of horsewomen.
Gail traveled extensively, including all over Europe, Africa and South America. She was a strong, independent and brave woman. She was also a heck of a lot of fun. She was at home in elegant dining rooms or on a fishing boat; tasting wine or swilling beer. She excelled at any undertaking, be it jumping horses, bass fishing, piano performances or making mayonnaise. She had a close group of forever friends from her life exploits and travels. In her later years, she greatly enjoyed travelling with her nephews and their children and sharing big laughs and vaguely inappropriate anecdotes. She told a great story and had, even til the very end, a wicked sense of humor. Her strength and resilience especially in the face of multiple cancer diagnoses were truly remarkable.
Gail was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Gaylord (Gee) Johnson, Jr. and her nephew. Gaylord (Rusty) Johnson, III. Gail is survived by her nephews Tom Johnson and wife Gina their children Tom and Eric of Houston, Doug Johnson and wife Christin and their children, Davis and Clayton of Denver, Colorado, Rusty’s wife, Rene and their children, Samantha and Caroline of Wellington, Florida and Skillman, New Jersey; and lastly, her beloved dachshunds.
At her request there will be no services. Gail will be honored in a celebration of her life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to MD Anderson Cancer Center or an animal rescue of your choice in Gail’s memory.