Gail Coker

Gail Coker, age 63, of Waco passed away Saturday, March 5, 2011 at her residence with her family by her side. Funeral Services will be 10AM Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at Columbus Ave. Baptist Church with Rev. Brian Dunks and Rev. David Shuttlesworth officiating. Interment will follow at Waco Memorial Park. Visitation will be 6 to 8PM Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at Grace Gardens Funeral Home.

Gail was born April 15, 1947 in Roanoke, Virginia to Joseph E. and Grace Garst Jamison. She graduated from William Fleming High School in Roanoke in 1965. She graduated from Carson Newman College in 1969 with a B.A. degree and from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1971 with a Masters degree in Religious Education. Upon graduation she became Director of Childhood Education at First Baptist Church in Waco where she served for eight and a half years.

In 1977 Gail married David M. Coker of Waco and they had two children. In 1980 Gail began teaching at St. Paul’s Episcopal School and served there for two years. In 1982 she began a twenty-five year career at Baylor University serving in the Graduate School office, Piper Child Development Center and the acquisitions department of Moody Library. She retired from Baylor in December, 2010.

During the 1970’s and 1980’s she led preschool Sunday school training conferences and VBS clinics in Texas, Oklahoma, and California. During the late 1980’s and early 1990’s she wrote preschool Sunday school curriculum for the Southern Baptist Convention.

Gail and David joined Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in 1983 and began teaching together in preschool Sunday school for fourteen years. Gail also served as a department director and part-time Preschool Division Director during this time.

After surviving breast cancer in 2002, Gail became a tireless worker for the Susan G. Komen Foundation Race for the Cure in Waco. She recruited team members to walk, worked with corporate sponsors, and co-chaired survivor celebration events. In her “spare” time for the past fifteen years, Gail has sold Pampered Chef kitchen products, and for two years was a part-time sales associate at Coldwater Creek.

Having worked with so many Baylor students, faculty, staff and their families over the years and having attended so many Baylor sporting events, it was only natural that she would become an Alumna By Choice in 1993. She continued to support football, both basketball teams, baseball, and softball as long as her health permitted.

She was preceded in death by her parents in 1998.

She is survived by her husband, David; one son, Jeff Coker of Waco; one daughter, Allison Harvey and husband Brian of Waco; one grandson, James Harvey of Waco; brother, Donald Jamison and wife Priscilla of Lexington, Virginia; sister, Jo Ann Webster and husband Ed of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; brother in-law, Ron Coker and wife JoAnn of Fairport, New York; nephews, Mark Jamison and wife Elizabeth, Alan Coker and wife Dawn; nieces, Lynne Kinder, Ami Holt and husband Paul, Karen Webster, Suzy Coker; and several great-nephews and nieces.

The family expresses their heartfelt gratitude to the members of the Boundless Love Sunday school class and many other friends who helped in so many ways during these last three years.

Memorials may be made to the Susan G. Komen Foundation or to the church or charity of your choice.

Funeral Service

10AM ,Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Columbus Ave Baptist Church
1300 Columbus Ave. Waco, TX 76705

Visitation

6 - 8PM ,Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Grace Gardens Funeral Home
8220 Woodway Drive Waco, TX 76712