GAIL MARIE TURNER (NEE COWIE)

MARCH 27, 1934 – JULY 19, 2017

Gail Marie Turner, affectionately known as “Gigi” by her 13 grandchildren, lived a wonderful life. Daughter of Wilma Marie Lemon Cowie and Richard Tinning Fyfe Cowie. Life long golf partner and loving wife of 61 years to John Charles Turner, mother to John Matthew (Lauren, Hannah, Clayton), Kimberly Gail (Peter Murphy and children Morgan, Alexandra, Caroline and Adam), Richard Frank (Alison and children Alexander, Sara and Emma), and predeceased by Adam Edward (Christina and children Cole, Finn and Kate). Gail is survived by her sister Pamela Joy Cowie Gray (Hubert), brother R. H. Paul Cowie (Nora) and brother-in-law James Ralph Adam Turner (Annetta).

Gail was a mischievous youngster, always game for an adventure. She was the life of the party and friends often remember her “swinging from the chandeliers” or calling in the middle of the night to wake up her family members “to say hello.”

Gail was a proud alumni of Forest Hill Public School, Havergal College and Branksome Hall. She went on to become a registered nurse at Women’s College Hospital. Ever the athlete, Gail was an avid tennis player, curler, figure skater, snow-skier and even ping-pong player. But, by far her favourite sport was golf. Once a 6-handicap player, Gail boasts club championship wins at Rosedale Golf Club (Toronto), Beacon Hall Golf Club (Aurora, ON), Bigwin Island Golf Club (Baysville, ON) and Lost Tree Village (North Palm Beach, Florida).

In the summer of 1950 on Lake of Bays, Gail Cowie was working as a chambermaid and caddy at the historic Bigwin Inn. John Turner was vacationing on the lake and was absolutely enamoured by Gail’s spunky and sporty nature. Married November 3, 1956, the rest is history and they continued to spend their summers on Lake of Bays at their cottage, Owlscourt. Gail could often be seen bombing around the lake in her bright yellow Donzi heading to the golf course or to “hen parties” with her girlfriends at the Britannia Hotel. She dock-started on her waterski even into her 50s.

Gail was admired for her incredible athletic skills, her fierce competitive nature, her dry sense of humour (she could really deliver one liners), and her strong sense of ethics and values. The self-proclaimed “golf-o-holic, choc-o-holic and sock-o-holic,” she lived a life well-lived. She won’t be resting, but perfecting her golf swing and playing a round with her son, Adam, on the fairways upstairs.

A special thank you to all of her caregivers at Amica Bayview and recently at the Isabel and Arthur Meighen Manor.

Visitation will be held at the Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre - 375 Mount Pleasant Road, East Gate Entrance on Thursday, July 27 from 2pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm. A private interment will take place at the family plot in Lindsay, ON. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook Hospital or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Canada. Condolences can be left at www.etouch.ca.