Gail Green Tootle | Secretary, musician, 61

Gail A. Green Tootle, 61, of Overbrook, a church musician and a former secretary, died of a heart attack Nov. 23 at Lankenau Hospital.

Gail Green grew up in West Philadelphia and attended Overbrook High School. She married Teddy Tootle in 1966. After their three children were in school in the late 1970s, Mrs. Tootle worked as a secretary for the KYW-TV news anchorman Jack Jones for a few years before joining the distribution department of Donnelly Directory as a part-time employee.

In her youth, Mrs. Tootle sang with and was the piano accompanist for the choir at Christ of Calvary Church in Southwest Philadelphia. That was where she met her future husband. But two years after they married, the couple joined Ezekiel Baptist Church in Southwest Philadelphia, where she directed and accompanied the young adult choir for 33 years and eventually became a deaconess. She also sang with the group, now called the Gospel Chorus.

She had a beautiful, strong voice and was committed to the music ministry, said her daughter, Pearette Allen. Mrs. Tootle retired in 2001 for health reasons.

Mrs. Tootle loved animals and always had a dog and cat. She was a talented cook, with specialties including corn pudding and shepherd's pie.

In addition to her husband and daughter, Mrs. Tootle is survived by sons Theodore and Thurston; a brother; two sisters; and five grandchildren.

The funeral was Nov. 28 at Ezekiel Baptist Church. Burial was in Fernwood Cemetery.