gail wayne allison
Gail Allison has been
described as a cut above - someone who set the standard that provides
us with much to aspire for. He was a man of great strength and courage
who deeply loved others whether his family, his friends, or someone he
just met. Gail loved his country, too, and was a true patriot who
answered the call of his country over a period of several years,
embracing the need to be a part of something greater than himself. Like
many over-achievers, Gail enjoyed a little healthy competition every
now and then and wholeheartedly gave everything his all. A true
blessing in the very essence of the word, he touched so many lives that
will be forever changed for the better.
Nestled within the colorful decade that became known as the Nifty Fifties, a young family from Indianapolis, Indiana, was celebrating the birth of their healthy baby boy on April 18, 1954. This was an unforgettable decade in which Elvis Presley took the world by storm while television shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Lone Ranger forever shaped the cultural fabric of our nation. Baby Gail Wayne was welcomed into the world by his parents, William Gerald and Waneta (Smitherman) Allison, that spring day and was one of three children in his family. Raised in the family home alongside his brothers, Gary and Tony, Gail attended local schools where he played the trumpet in the school band during his early years. He enjoyed riding his dirt bike and established his lifelong habit of tinkering. Gail’s brother referred to him as a “precision tinkerer,” but also joked that he always had a tendency to over-tighten the bolts.
After graduating from Mooresville High School in 1972, Gail was ready to embrace on the next phase of his life’s journey. He built a successful career beginning with his work at Detroit Diesel. Gail later worked as a senior mechanic for Center Grove School Corporation for 29 years, and he was also the proud owner and operator of Allison’s Garage for many years. He won the Indiana State School Bus Driver International Safety Competition in 2007 and even took second place in the national competition on one occasion.
With a deep love for his country, Gail served in the United States Navy from 1973 through much of 1977, and he also served in the Indiana National Guard from 1999 through 2004. It has been said that Gail’s time in the military imprinted him with his tendencies to over-achieve and to always go above and beyond the call of duty. Through the example he set he taught others to be the best they can be and that anything worth doing is worth doing right - the first time.
There was no greater joy in Gail’s life than his family. He was blessed to become the father of two wonderful daughters, Sarah and Danielle. When Gail married the love of his life, Raisa, on December 30, 2003, he also gained two stepsons, David and Jonathan. He and Raisa had a wonderful marriage that was based on mutual respect and unconditional love.
Throughout his life Gail was a man of many interests. He loved to head out on the open road on his Harley-Davidson, and he also enjoyed boating. Gail was a master of all things mechanical - so much so that Raisa joked that he was a “mechanical whisperer” or an “engine whisperer” who loved to work. When looking for Gail, his friends and family knew he could often be found in his garage. He also had a mind for numbers and enjoyed the camaraderie of his buddies at the American Legion Post #103 where he was a member. Gail enjoyed eating, especially spicy foods, and he liked being in the know and was known to keep up with the heartbeat of the city by listening to his police scanner.
Someone who was always looking for ways he could be of help to those around him, Gail Allison leaves behind a shining legacy. He had the best smile and could be so funny, and he was someone who was always optimistic no matter what lay ahead. Gail was a loving and devoted husband who looked so forward to spending his sunset years with the love of his life by his side, but a devastating diagnosis left him with little that could be done. It was with his loving family by his side that Gail drew his last breath. Taken from his friends and loved ones much too soon, he will be dearly missed.
Gail Wayne Allison of Greenwood died on August 24, 2011. Gail’s family includes his wife, Raisa A. Allison; daughters, Sarah Allison of Plainfield and Danielle Allison of Mooresville; step-sons, David Tibbs of Tennessee and Jonathan Tibbs of Bunker Hill; brothers, Gary D. Allison (Myrline) of Indianapolis and Tony E. Allison (Tammy) of Quincy; grandchildren, Connor Ray Hancock, Garrett Tibbs, and Audrey Grace Tibbs; parents-in-law, David S. and Nancy Davis of Indianapolis. The funeral service will begin at 2 p.m., Sunday, August 28, 2011, at Carlisle – Branson Funeral Service & Crematory, Mooresville, with calling there from 3-7 p.m., Saturday, August 27, 2011. Cremation will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Francis Hospice. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to share a favorite memory or to sign the online guest registry.
Nestled within the colorful decade that became known as the Nifty Fifties, a young family from Indianapolis, Indiana, was celebrating the birth of their healthy baby boy on April 18, 1954. This was an unforgettable decade in which Elvis Presley took the world by storm while television shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Lone Ranger forever shaped the cultural fabric of our nation. Baby Gail Wayne was welcomed into the world by his parents, William Gerald and Waneta (Smitherman) Allison, that spring day and was one of three children in his family. Raised in the family home alongside his brothers, Gary and Tony, Gail attended local schools where he played the trumpet in the school band during his early years. He enjoyed riding his dirt bike and established his lifelong habit of tinkering. Gail’s brother referred to him as a “precision tinkerer,” but also joked that he always had a tendency to over-tighten the bolts.
After graduating from Mooresville High School in 1972, Gail was ready to embrace on the next phase of his life’s journey. He built a successful career beginning with his work at Detroit Diesel. Gail later worked as a senior mechanic for Center Grove School Corporation for 29 years, and he was also the proud owner and operator of Allison’s Garage for many years. He won the Indiana State School Bus Driver International Safety Competition in 2007 and even took second place in the national competition on one occasion.
With a deep love for his country, Gail served in the United States Navy from 1973 through much of 1977, and he also served in the Indiana National Guard from 1999 through 2004. It has been said that Gail’s time in the military imprinted him with his tendencies to over-achieve and to always go above and beyond the call of duty. Through the example he set he taught others to be the best they can be and that anything worth doing is worth doing right - the first time.
There was no greater joy in Gail’s life than his family. He was blessed to become the father of two wonderful daughters, Sarah and Danielle. When Gail married the love of his life, Raisa, on December 30, 2003, he also gained two stepsons, David and Jonathan. He and Raisa had a wonderful marriage that was based on mutual respect and unconditional love.
Throughout his life Gail was a man of many interests. He loved to head out on the open road on his Harley-Davidson, and he also enjoyed boating. Gail was a master of all things mechanical - so much so that Raisa joked that he was a “mechanical whisperer” or an “engine whisperer” who loved to work. When looking for Gail, his friends and family knew he could often be found in his garage. He also had a mind for numbers and enjoyed the camaraderie of his buddies at the American Legion Post #103 where he was a member. Gail enjoyed eating, especially spicy foods, and he liked being in the know and was known to keep up with the heartbeat of the city by listening to his police scanner.
Someone who was always looking for ways he could be of help to those around him, Gail Allison leaves behind a shining legacy. He had the best smile and could be so funny, and he was someone who was always optimistic no matter what lay ahead. Gail was a loving and devoted husband who looked so forward to spending his sunset years with the love of his life by his side, but a devastating diagnosis left him with little that could be done. It was with his loving family by his side that Gail drew his last breath. Taken from his friends and loved ones much too soon, he will be dearly missed.
Gail Wayne Allison of Greenwood died on August 24, 2011. Gail’s family includes his wife, Raisa A. Allison; daughters, Sarah Allison of Plainfield and Danielle Allison of Mooresville; step-sons, David Tibbs of Tennessee and Jonathan Tibbs of Bunker Hill; brothers, Gary D. Allison (Myrline) of Indianapolis and Tony E. Allison (Tammy) of Quincy; grandchildren, Connor Ray Hancock, Garrett Tibbs, and Audrey Grace Tibbs; parents-in-law, David S. and Nancy Davis of Indianapolis. The funeral service will begin at 2 p.m., Sunday, August 28, 2011, at Carlisle – Branson Funeral Service & Crematory, Mooresville, with calling there from 3-7 p.m., Saturday, August 27, 2011. Cremation will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Francis Hospice. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to share a favorite memory or to sign the online guest registry.