Gail H. (Miller) Bennett

PAXTON – Gail H. (Miller) Bennett, 78, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, with her loving husband, David, by her side.

Born and raised in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, Gail was the eldest daughter of the late John H. and Berthe A. (Hanover) Miller. She spent joyful summers at North Beach on Long Beach Island, New Jersey, with her parents and sisters, creating memories she cherished throughout her life. In her youth, Gail won multiple pageants and was crowned Miss Long Beach Island, a reflection of the grace, kindness, and vibrant spirit that defined her.

Gail attended Lower Moreland High School and graduated from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts. A talented artist and dedicated teacher, she began her career teaching art in the South Natick school system and later continued to share her passion for art education with students in Barre, Hardwick, and Paxton, where she taught until her retirement in 2008.

She had a lifelong love of the arts and was known for her beautiful jewelry making, basket weaving, painting, and stained glass work, generously sharing her creativity with family and friends. One of her greatest joys was passing her love of art on to her granddaughter, Avan, nurturing her creativity and imagination.

An avid reader, Gail enjoyed gathering with friends at her book club. At home, she found joy in creating wonderful meals for her family, often inventing her own recipes.

Gail treasured time with her family at their summer home in Dennis on Cape Cod and during winter getaways to Ascutney Mountain in Vermont. She enjoyed picnics, cookouts, and playing Trivial Pursuit on the beach with family and friends. She loved the natural landscape of Cape Cod and enjoyed canning cranberry, chokecherry, and beach plum preserves, as well as making bayberry and lavender candles and wreaths from the berries and foliage she gathered around her home. Her gardens, filled with hydrangeas, Shasta daisies, lilies of the valley, wild roses, lavender, tiger lilies, and peonies, were the result of many hours of love and care.

Above all, Gail found joy in the simple, everyday moments spent with those she loved most.

Gail was deeply proud of her family. She took pride in her son David’s service as a United States Marine and the life he built in Vermont, and in Lindsay’s devotion as a mother and daughter, and her accomplishments as a respected professional. She was proud of her husband, David, for his many years of community service, his commitment to the UMass Memorial Health System, and his dedication to his clients throughout his long legal career.

She is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, David; her son, David Jr., of Vermont; and her daughter, Lindsay, and granddaughter, Avan, of Massachusetts. She is also survived by her sister, Cynthia Smith, and nephews, Brenton, Blake, and Bradley Smith, all of Georgia; her brother-in-law, Richard Bennett, and his wife, Catherine, of New Jersey; her niece, Margot Bennett, of New York; and her brother-in-law, Jeff Bennett, and his wife, Alesia, along with nephew, Mitch Bennett, and niece, Veronica Bennett, all of Pennsylvania. In addition to her parents, Gail was predeceased by her sister, Dorothy Miller.

A private memorial service will be held at Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden, on July 10, 2025. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to UMass Memorial Health in memory of Gail H. Bennett at https://www.ummhealth.org/giving.

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