Obituary

Gail Rainey Barron was born March 21, 1951 to Charlie Sir Walter and Minnie Evelyn Rainey in Atlanta Georgia, where she grew up with her four sisters.  She was active in her church playing piano and was a stellar student all the way through high school.  She briefly attended Spelman College prior to enlisting in the Navy. She met Sylvester “Champ” Louis Barron, Jr. at a New Years Eve party in 1973 that he described as love-at-first-sight and they married in Memphis, Tennessee March 10, 1974.  Gail left the military to raise what would end up being five children. She was the kind of Mom who who cooked every meal from scratch, taught her children scripture, popped up at their schools planned and unplanned and more than anything covered her kids in constant prayer.  They came to Oak Harbor, Washington, then to the DC/Maryland/Virginia area and finally back to Oak Harbor where Chief Barron would retire from the Navy.  She finished her bachelor’s degree in Sociology at Western Washington University.  Gail put her degree to use after raising her children by working Crisis Respite at Compass Health for 10 years.  They remained in Oak Harbor where Gail stayed active in church participating on the worship team as well as teaching Sunday school at Southern Baptist Church where she attended until relocating to Bellingham, WA to be closer to family. Gail was quite the artist, singer, teacher and more than anything wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.  She could typically be found one of three places – church, thrift stores or surrounded by her kids and grandkids.  In March 2020 shortly after her last birthday, Gail moved to Mukilteo where she lived with her sons for almost a year before her heart failure progressed to its terminal end.

She made the decision to go on hospice on February 3rd and returned to Bellingham where family surrounded her bed to pray over her.  She interrupted and took over blessing all of us living children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She gave thanks for you all and was quite happy. She declined quickly but did get to FaceTime her 94-year-old father Friday, February 6. Her last words were “I love you Daddy.” She went to sleep Friday and was unresponsive all day Saturday and Sunday. We thought she’d pass then but she didn’t. Her late mother’s birthday was February 8th.  Gail waited until 12:03 am February 8th to surprise her mom in the heavenlies. She passed away peacefully surrounded by her children in Bellingham, WA.  It is not by accident that we are celebrating her life on what would have been her 70th birthday.  She loved her Spring Equinox birthday we wanted to celebrate her life on her favorite day.

Gail was preceded in death by her mother Minnie, her sisters Wanda and Arnette (Weetie), her daughter Zenovia and her husband Sly.  She is survived by her father Charlie, sisters Berethea and Vivian, brother-in-law Greg, sister-in-law Bonita, her children Sylvester “Doc”, Louis III, Sean Michael and wife Kristin , Devyn Nicole and husband Matthew, Samuel Ian Anthony and wife Alethea, 16 grandchildren, 1 great-grandson, several nieces and nephews and her dog Stellah.  Her remains will be laid to rest at Sunnyside Cemetery beside her husband and daughter.

A Celebration of Gail’s life will be held on Sunday, March 21, 2:00pm. To view the service live via Zoom, please follow this link, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86421743609