Gail Francis Adams Warth
July 4, 1937 – December 11, 2025
Gail was born in Pelham, Alabama on July 4, 1937, and passed away on December 11, 2025. She is survived by her daughter Teri Warth Hunt, grandchildren Camilla Elizabeth Hunt, Emily Adams Hunt Sankey (Bobby), Alison Gail Warth Watson (Jeb), David Raymond Warth, Jr., her sister Judy Adams Crumley, daughter in law Jennifer Pigott Warth, and various nieces, nephews, and cousins. Gail was predeceased by her husband Raymond Hemstead Warth, Jr. and her son David Raymond Warth.
Gail and her sister were born in Pelham in their grandparents’ home. The family moved to Siluria, a small cotton mill community of about 500 people, when Gail was in elementary school. The family joined Central Methodist Church of Siluria and the girls went to Thompson Schools. In Junior High School she met a music teacher who introduced her to the piano and to choral music. Her love for the piano led her to play in concerts, recitals, and church events.
Gail attended Birmingham Southern College, graduating in 1959, with a BA in Music Degree in Piano. Originally, she wanted to be a professional pianist but decided that teaching and sharing music with others was more important. Gail taught Elementary Music to children at Walter Jackson and Eastwood Elementary schools for more than 30 years, arranging 100s of plays and concerts in that span. Gail also was the organist at First United Methodist Church in Decatur for 38 years. She felt her calling was to get others more involved in church by sharing her musical talents.
Gail met Ray Warth when they were both in the choir group at Birmingham Southern and they immediately fell deeply in love. They married in 1959, holding their ceremony at a Birmingham church where Ray was the choir director. David was born in 1960 in Birmingham, then the family moved to Jasper where Teri was born in 1962 while Ray was teaching music at Walker Community College. Ray had an opportunity in Decatur to teach choral music at Decatur High School and was also offered the position of choir director at First United Methodist Church and so moved the family to Decatur in 1963.
Ray finished his career as Coordinator of Secondary Education and Gail as Elementary Music Teacher in Decatur City Schools in 1993. Sadly, they only had 3 years together to enjoy retirement as Ray passed away in 1996. Though their retirement was short, they enjoyed every minute they had together. Gail joined households with her daughter, Teri, in 2000 and was a vital member of their household with Teri’s daughters Elizabeth and Emily until her death. She visited her son David and his family Jennifer, Alison, and Ray in China many times through the course of her life.
Gail was the daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and friend we all aspire to be – selfless, kind, gentle, and wise. Gail was a gift to all who knew and loved her – she loved us all unconditionally and her being in it made the world a better place. There are no words to describe the tremendous loss her family and friends are all experiencing with her passing.
