Gail Tribble

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Gail Marion Tribble on March 9, 2018 at Emory Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia. She was born on May 26, 1960 in Saint John to Ella (Murray) Hopper and the late John C. Hopper. She leaves behind her beloved daughter Grace "Lucy"; husband Joe; mother Ella; sister Valerie and brother Terry along with many loved aunts, uncles and cousins. She is now home with God and free of pain, most likely subtly stalking Jane Austen.

Gail grew up in Milledgeville, where her artistic talent was evident at a young age.  She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Mount Allison University, and went on to become a gifted portrait artist and illustrator. We wanted to show how special she was, and still is, by including an example of her writing. This is her description of portraiture:

Sometimes the most acute personification of a person lies in the movements they make in the course of a day; the way they get dressed, or lie down, hold their head, their body language when they communicate; the way they sit and what they think about when utterly relaxed. The sensitive nape of the neck, which somehow tells all about mood or reaction. In my ideal life I capture this every time- sometimes with a face in repose front on, and sometimes with not much of the face showing at all, but the personality/ attitude/ mood showing in a most intimate/ vulnerable/ relaxed way. So the portrait is not a pose for strangers- it's a quiet understated presence of the person. The light hits the person in a way that says- this is how light works. The paint says: these are my true qualities- this is what I can do. I move sometimes with utmost effort and difficulty between a sense of the whole and a sensitivity to detail; between the rightness of shapes and the free nature of the paint. Truthful detail coexists with amorphous, accidental paint that you think hit the surface on its own, years ago, and has since been through some stories, weather, aging, creating irregularities and natural, unexpected combinations. There's a seamless unity between these two things.

As her good friend Ann Clarkson said upon her passing, now, “she’s ready to paint the universe.”

She lived a full life creating art, travelling, hiking, studying language, reading and spending precious time with friends, family, and pets, especially Ben and Rusty. The role that brought her the most joy was that of Mom to Lucy.

We would like to thank the doctors and nurses who cared for Gail, especially Dr. Bill Barber.

A funeral was held on March 14, 2018 at Patterson’s Funeral Home in Atlanta. Arrangements are under the direction of the Fundy Funeral Home, 230 Westmorland Road (646-2424).  A private burial will take place at Fernhill Cemetery in Saint John at a later date. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or a charity of the donor’s choice. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gail Tribble, please visit our floral store.