Gail Parsons Obituary

Gail Lee Burrell Parsons, a beloved member of the Odessa, Florida community, passed away peacefully on April 11, 2025, just shy of her 85th birthday. Born in Tampa, Florida, on April 19, 1940, Gail lived a life filled with dedication to her community and the natural world and love towards her family.

A member of the first graduating class of Chamberlain High School in 1958, Gail continued her education at the University of South Florida, where she earned a degree in Marketing from the College of Business. Her career path was notable not only for her professional accomplishments but also for her pioneering spirit. At the age of 40, Gail was appointed to the Northwest Hillsborough County Water Management Basin Board, joining a predominantly male committee as a subcommittee of the Southwest Florida Water Management. Her appointment by Governor Bob Graham was a testament to her expertise and leadership in water management, particularly as the water committee chairman of the Keystone Park Civic Association.

Gail's dedication to her community was evident through her involvement in various environmental and educational organizations. As a Master Naturalist and Tampa native, she served on the boards of the Suncoast Native Plant Society, the Tampa Audubon Society, the Florida Audubon Society, and the Tampa Bay Sierra Club. Her passion for lifelong learning was reflected in her participation with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) since 2007, where she both attended and taught classes, leading the OLLI Hiking Special Interest Group.

An adventurous spirit, Gail traveled the world. A favorite trip was hiking from one coast of England to the other along Hadrian's Wall with her granddaughter, creating memories that would last a lifetime. Besides being known as an adventurous spirit, she was also known for her honesty, genuineness, and her tenacity to fight for what she believed in. These traits are what made her such a great leader in the community.

Gail was predeceased by her parents, Gaylord Arthur "Gale" Burrell and Estel Andrea Boyd, her former husband, Donald Cale Parsons, and her son, Rick Cale Parsons. She is survived by her brother, John Lewis Burrell, her brother, Leslie Ponder, her daughters, Terri Lyn Shields [Jeffrey] and Cindy Sue Briesacher [Robert], her grandchildren Joshua Robert Briesacher [Ariana], Janet Sue Cain [Mason] and three great grandchildren.

We remember Gail with the words of John Muir: "And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul." Her life was a testament to this philosophy, as she found peace and purpose in the natural world and shared that joy with everyone around her.

In closing, though Gail enjoyed the blessing of good health for most of her life, sadly she had a rough battle with cancer over the past few months. Through those challenges she made the decision to put her trust and faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. We rejoice knowing her suffering had ended and she is now in the presence of her Saviour for all eternity!