Gail Evans Turney

Gail Evans Turney, 73, lived a full and exciting life. She was born September 10, 1946 in Baltimore, MD to Edmund Manley Evans and Ethel Marie Dennis Evans, the youngest of three children. She lived in Baltimore for several years before moving to Pines on the Severn, Odenton, and then to Laurel, MD where she attended Pallotti High School, married the love of her life Earl J. Turney and raised a family with him. Gail worked as an Administrative Assistant for the D.C. Children's Center. After retiring, she met many new friends through her part time job delivering Washington Post newspapers in the Laurel area.

Gail loved animals, and worked as a wildlife rehabilitation volunteer and a wildlife transporter. Her family still jokes about the capers that originated from her caring for baby opossums, geese, and baby bunnies (among others), until they could be taken to the shelter. She volunteered with and was a member of several environmental and animal rescue organizations including Center for Biological Diversity, Laurel Alley Cats, Greyhound Rescue, BARCS, and local shelters. She and her husband Earl traveled to New Orleans with The Humane Society of the United States to help rescue pets that had been left behind during Hurricane Katrina's devastation.

Gail was an accomplished triathlete, winning numerous awards and qualifying to compete in the Iron Man in Hawaii. Her husband and her two children, Dawn and Jimmy, were “Mom's Crew” and enjoyed many family camping trips and adventures exploring areas they wouldn't have otherwise seen as they traveled with her to her competitions. She excelled in pool and played on a league. She enjoyed bicycle adventures and motorcycle trips with Earl and was a member of the Christian Motorcyclist Association.  She made it a point to be at all of her children's school events, sporting events or extracurricular activities. She also enjoyed researching family ancestry and making personalized sentimental gifts for loved ones.

She was fun loving and compassionate, her laugh was contagious, and she could light up a room with her smile. She made friends wherever she went. Another quality that defined her was her strength, both in her body and soul. Her family often joked with her about her strong “willful” spirit, and told her that her theme song should be Frank Sinatra's “My Way.” This strength of being also helped carry her during her fierce three and a half year war with pancreatic cancer.

Gail is survived by her beloved husband of 50 years, Earl J. Turney; daughter Dawn Turney and her husband Frank Morgan; son James Turney Sr., his wife Goska Turney and his mother-in-law Alicia; grandchildren James, Julia and Jacob Turney; and her dog Daisy. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Edmund and Ethel Evans, and brothers Joseph and John Evans.

Due to COVID-19, funeral services will be private. Please post memories of Gail that you would like to share with her family on Donaldson Funeral Homes Tribute Wall. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions to The Humane Society of the United States, via the “Make a Memorial Donation” page of The Humane Society's Website:  https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Donation2?24225.donation=form1&df_id=24225

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