It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Gail Grace, following a brief but courageous battle with cancer. On her final evening in hospital, Gail was in good spirits, surrounded by the people she loved most. It was a fitting reflection of a life in which family, love and togetherness meant everything.

Gail's story began in Belle Ewart, near Innisfil, where she grew up in her grandmother's home alongside her parents, Mable and Jim, and her four beloved siblings, Wendy, Donna, Jimmy and Alex. Those early years helped shape the strong, hardworking and fiercely loyal woman she would become.

In 1977, Gail moved to Toronto, where she began working as the personal assistant and office manager to Dr. Charles K. Knowlton, Chief Surgeon and Head of Staff at St. Joseph's Hospital. She took great pride in her work at his St. Clair Avenue medical office, where her natural ability to care for people, solve problems and keep everything running smoothly was put to good use.

Gail married her husband, Geoff, in 1979, and together they built a wonderful life in Toronto's Beach neighbourhood, raising their two children, Geoffrey and Chelsea. 

Gail eventually stepped away from her career to devote herself to raising Geoffrey and Chelsea. For the next eight years, she poured her energy into creating a loving home and keeping her busy family organized, a role she embraced with the same determination and dedication she brought to everything in life.

When Chelsea began Grade One, Gail embarked on a new chapter, joining Royal LePage Real Estate on Queen Street in the Beach. What began as a return to the workforce became a remarkable career spanning nearly four decades.

For Gail, real estate was never simply about buying and selling houses. It was about people, relationships and helping families find a place to call home. She genuinely loved her clients, many of whom became lifelong friends. She celebrated their milestones, shared in their stories and took enormous pride in helping them achieve their dreams.

And while Gail was warm, generous and deeply caring, she also had a formidable side. She was fiercely protective of her family, friends and clients, and anyone who attempted to take advantage of someone she cared about quickly discovered that Gail was not a woman to be crossed. Her loyalty was unwavering, her determination unmistakable, and her heart enormous.

Family was always at the centre of Gail's world, and nothing brought her greater happiness than spending time with those she loved. She was a devoted mother, a proud and loving grandmother to Geoffrey and Sarah's children, Taylor and James, and even had a special place in her heart for Chelsea's beloved dog, and her grand-dog, Benny. Having her family close by was one of life's greatest gifts.

Above all else, Gail will be remembered for the love she gave so freely. She worked hard, cared deeply, put others before herself and found her greatest joy in the people around her.

Her legacy lives on not only in the family she adored, but in the countless lives she touched, the friendships she built and the community she helped shape.

She will be deeply missed and forever loved.