Gail Frances Boren
May 1, 1937 - September 7, 2014
Gail Frances Boren (North, Simpson) passed away at her home in Carmel, CA after a valiant fight with lung cancer. Beloved wife of Frank Boren and devoted mother to Suzanne and Timothy. Gail will be remembered for her kindness, savvy fashion style and delicious cooking. Gail was born in Albany, Oregon to Hazel Curtis (Ford) and Francis North. She was raised in Oregon, moving around the state throughout her childhood. Gail attended Oregon State University for two years and met her first husband, Robert Simpson. They married December 22, 1957 and moved to Danville, California after his service in the Navy. While Suzanne and Timothy were young, Gail designed and sold quilted items and created window treatments. About 1981 she returned to college at Hayward State and received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Family Counseling, 1984 and 1986, respectively. She practiced for ten years in the Danville and Walnut Creek area and after retiring continued to help people with counseling needs. October 25, 1997 she married Frank Boren and they moved to Friday Harbor, Washington and later Blaine, Washington. They moved several times and in recent years settled in Sedona, Arizona and Carmel, California. Throughout her life, Gail enjoyed interior and fashion design, cooking, sewing, reading, gardening and traveling. She was particularly good at decorating homes and clothing style and creating fabulous meals. Her attention to detail was always evident. She always dressed meticulously. Gail made friends easily and kept in touch with lifelong friends through letters wherever she lived. She was active in bible study and her children’s activities during her years in Danville.
She is survived by husband Frank Boren; daughter Suzanne Simpson Forsyth (David) of Prosser, WA; son Timothy Simpson of CA; sister Linda North Stein (Don) of Mill Creek, WA; brother John North of Seattle, WA; grandchildren Alexandra, Robert, Thomas and Makensie Forsyth; sister Sheryl Ford Hill of Portland, OR; and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father, Francis North; mother Hazel Ford; sister Katherine Ford; brother Thomas North; step-mother Agnes North and nephew Daniel Stein.
A private burial will be held at the Cementario El Encinal in Monterey. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the SPCA of Monterey County.