Davis Barnes, Gail 5/22/1950 - 12/8/2018 Ann Arbor
Gail Davis Barnes, of Ann Arbor, MI, beloved mother, teacher, and musician, went home to be with Jesus Christ on December 8 after a very brief illness.
Gail was born to James and Elease (McKinney) Davis (both deceased) in Dayton, OH, and grew up in Ohio and Kentucky. Her father was a Methodist minister, and Gail loved the adventure of relocating from town to town when he was assigned to new churches. Gail was an exceptionally bright, talented, mischievous kid who made friends easily in every new location.
Gail graduated from Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School in Dayton, OH, where she met her future husband, Ray D. Barnes (deceased). They were married in 1972, after Gail graduated from The Ohio State University (bachelor's of music in piano performance), where she was chosen to perform as a soloist with the OSU Symphony Orchestra.
Ray's job as a mechanical engineer with Ford Motor Company brought them to Michigan, where Gail obtained a master's in music (piano performance) at the University of Michigan. The two great joys of Gail's life, daughters Regina and Raegan, were born in Ann Arbor, and the whole family moved to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia for 3 years for Ray's job.
Gail found joy in this adventure, building a piano studio in Saudi, making many lifelong friends and traveling extensively in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Gail loved being a mom and after she and Ray divorced, she worked extremely hard as a single mom to provide music and dance lessons for her girls, and maintained a home studio so she could be near them after school.
Gail was a highly accomplished, gifted musician, and was chosen as 2018 Educator of the Year by the Michigan Music Teachers Association. She taught piano for over 43 years and leaves a legacy of grateful students and parents. Gail was also passionate about highlighting the music of classical composers of African descent.
In 2001, she recorded "Magnolias," an album featuring the music of Robert Nathaniel Dett and Samuel Coleridge Taylor. At the time of her passing, she was hard at work on a second recording featuring Taylor's "24 Negro Melodies." She had recorded it several times but continued to pursue the "right sound, the right touch."
Gail loved God's creation, and took fresh delight in each night sky. She spent the summer working in her garden and creating a beautiful space in her backyard. She loved greeting cats Cosmo and Oliver each morning and playing music for them.
Gail was predeceased by one brother, Bobby, and is survived by her daughters, cats, sisters Eileen (Jay) Thomas and Kathleen Taylor, a niece and nephews, many friends, colleagues, and wonderful students and their families. She will be forever missed, forever loved, and we are forever grateful for her life.
Gail Davis Barnes, of Ann Arbor, MI, beloved mother, teacher, and musician, went home to be with Jesus Christ on December 8 after a very brief illness.
Gail was born to James and Elease (McKinney) Davis (both deceased) in Dayton, OH, and grew up in Ohio and Kentucky. Her father was a Methodist minister, and Gail loved the adventure of relocating from town to town when he was assigned to new churches. Gail was an exceptionally bright, talented, mischievous kid who made friends easily in every new location.
Gail graduated from Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School in Dayton, OH, where she met her future husband, Ray D. Barnes (deceased). They were married in 1972, after Gail graduated from The Ohio State University (bachelor's of music in piano performance), where she was chosen to perform as a soloist with the OSU Symphony Orchestra.
Ray's job as a mechanical engineer with Ford Motor Company brought them to Michigan, where Gail obtained a master's in music (piano performance) at the University of Michigan. The two great joys of Gail's life, daughters Regina and Raegan, were born in Ann Arbor, and the whole family moved to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia for 3 years for Ray's job.
Gail found joy in this adventure, building a piano studio in Saudi, making many lifelong friends and traveling extensively in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Gail loved being a mom and after she and Ray divorced, she worked extremely hard as a single mom to provide music and dance lessons for her girls, and maintained a home studio so she could be near them after school.
Gail was a highly accomplished, gifted musician, and was chosen as 2018 Educator of the Year by the Michigan Music Teachers Association. She taught piano for over 43 years and leaves a legacy of grateful students and parents. Gail was also passionate about highlighting the music of classical composers of African descent.
In 2001, she recorded "Magnolias," an album featuring the music of Robert Nathaniel Dett and Samuel Coleridge Taylor. At the time of her passing, she was hard at work on a second recording featuring Taylor's "24 Negro Melodies." She had recorded it several times but continued to pursue the "right sound, the right touch."
Gail loved God's creation, and took fresh delight in each night sky. She spent the summer working in her garden and creating a beautiful space in her backyard. She loved greeting cats Cosmo and Oliver each morning and playing music for them.
Gail was predeceased by one brother, Bobby, and is survived by her daughters, cats, sisters Eileen (Jay) Thomas and Kathleen Taylor, a niece and nephews, many friends, colleagues, and wonderful students and their families. She will be forever missed, forever loved, and we are forever grateful for her life.
Davis Barnes, Gail 5/22/1950 - 12/8/2018 Ann Arbor
Gail Davis Barnes, of Ann Arbor, MI, beloved mother, teacher, and musician, went home to be with Jesus Christ on December 8 after a very brief illness.
Gail was born to James and Elease (McKinney) Davis (both deceased) in Dayton, OH, and grew up in Ohio and Kentucky. Her father was a Methodist minister, and Gail loved the adventure of relocating from town to town when he was assigned to new churches. Gail was an exceptionally bright, talented, mischievous kid who made friends easily in every new location.
Gail graduated from Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School in Dayton, OH, where she met her future husband, Ray D. Barnes (deceased). They were married in 1972, after Gail graduated from The Ohio State University (bachelor's of music in piano performance), where she was chosen to perform as a soloist with the OSU Symphony Orchestra.
Ray's job as a mechanical engineer with Ford Motor Company brought them to Michigan, where Gail obtained a master's in music (piano performance) at the University of Michigan. The two great joys of Gail's life, daughters Regina and Raegan, were born in Ann Arbor, and the whole family moved to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia for 3 years for Ray's job.
Gail found joy in this adventure, building a piano studio in Saudi, making many lifelong friends and traveling extensively in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Gail loved being a mom and after she and Ray divorced, she worked extremely hard as a single mom to provide music and dance lessons for her girls, and maintained a home studio so she could be near them after school.
Gail was a highly accomplished, gifted musician, and was chosen as 2018 Educator of the Year by the Michigan Music Teachers Association. She taught piano for over 43 years and leaves a legacy of grateful students and parents. Gail was also passionate about highlighting the music of classical composers of African descent.
In 2001, she recorded "Magnolias," an album featuring the music of Robert Nathaniel Dett and Samuel Coleridge Taylor. At the time of her passing, she was hard at work on a second recording featuring Taylor's "24 Negro Melodies." She had recorded it several times but continued to pursue the "right sound, the right touch."
Gail loved God's creation, and took fresh delight in each night sky. She spent the summer working in her garden and creating a beautiful space in her backyard. She loved greeting cats Cosmo and Oliver each morning and playing music for them.
Gail was predeceased by one brother, Bobby, and is survived by her daughters, cats, sisters Eileen (Jay) Thomas and Kathleen Taylor, a niece and nephews, many friends, colleagues, and wonderful students and their families. She will be forever missed, forever loved, and we are forever grateful for her life.
Gail Davis Barnes, of Ann Arbor, MI, beloved mother, teacher, and musician, went home to be with Jesus Christ on December 8 after a very brief illness.
Gail was born to James and Elease (McKinney) Davis (both deceased) in Dayton, OH, and grew up in Ohio and Kentucky. Her father was a Methodist minister, and Gail loved the adventure of relocating from town to town when he was assigned to new churches. Gail was an exceptionally bright, talented, mischievous kid who made friends easily in every new location.
Gail graduated from Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School in Dayton, OH, where she met her future husband, Ray D. Barnes (deceased). They were married in 1972, after Gail graduated from The Ohio State University (bachelor's of music in piano performance), where she was chosen to perform as a soloist with the OSU Symphony Orchestra.
Ray's job as a mechanical engineer with Ford Motor Company brought them to Michigan, where Gail obtained a master's in music (piano performance) at the University of Michigan. The two great joys of Gail's life, daughters Regina and Raegan, were born in Ann Arbor, and the whole family moved to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia for 3 years for Ray's job.
Gail found joy in this adventure, building a piano studio in Saudi, making many lifelong friends and traveling extensively in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Gail loved being a mom and after she and Ray divorced, she worked extremely hard as a single mom to provide music and dance lessons for her girls, and maintained a home studio so she could be near them after school.
Gail was a highly accomplished, gifted musician, and was chosen as 2018 Educator of the Year by the Michigan Music Teachers Association. She taught piano for over 43 years and leaves a legacy of grateful students and parents. Gail was also passionate about highlighting the music of classical composers of African descent.
In 2001, she recorded "Magnolias," an album featuring the music of Robert Nathaniel Dett and Samuel Coleridge Taylor. At the time of her passing, she was hard at work on a second recording featuring Taylor's "24 Negro Melodies." She had recorded it several times but continued to pursue the "right sound, the right touch."
Gail loved God's creation, and took fresh delight in each night sky. She spent the summer working in her garden and creating a beautiful space in her backyard. She loved greeting cats Cosmo and Oliver each morning and playing music for them.
Gail was predeceased by one brother, Bobby, and is survived by her daughters, cats, sisters Eileen (Jay) Thomas and Kathleen Taylor, a niece and nephews, many friends, colleagues, and wonderful students and their families. She will be forever missed, forever loved, and we are forever grateful for her life.
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