Obituary of Gail Ann Tompkins Crawford

The family of Gail Ann Tompkins Crawford sadly announces her sudden passing on October 13^th, 2025, at her home in New Maryland, New Brunswick. She was born on May 15^th, 1951, to Robert and Noreen Tompkins, in Minto, New Brunswick. The cause of her death was cardiac arrest. 

Gail spent the majority of her formative years in Hartland, New Brunswick. She was a competitive academic who regularly led her class at Hartland High School, joined every club, was a proud member of the choir, and a reluctant member of the Hartland High School basketball team, despite questionable athletic ability and at a cost of at least one front tooth. Anyone who knew her would not be surprised to hear she won public speaking contests – a skill she used during important advocacy campaigns later in life. She was an active community member with a strong sense of justice and a loving friend to so many. Coming from a large family, she spoke regularly about the love and support of her parents, whom she has continued to honour.  They taught her empathy, the importance of standing up for what is right, even when it is hard, and the value of family. 

Gail left Hartland shortly after her sister Lynne, to attend Teachers College in Fredericton, NB – a time in her life that was accompanied by many stories of hilarity and antics as the two learned to navigate the world together. Silverwood Ski Hill never really recovered from their first (and only) attempt at downhill skiing, nor did their coach. Gail spoke regularly about how meaningful her work was to her – teaching English to newcomers - and how she valued the relationships formed with her adult Vietnamese students with whom she kept in touch for years. This was an important and exciting time in her life, and was also the time that Bruce Crawford entered the picture. It all began on a first (blind) date to the Engineering Formal at UNB. They’ve never really been apart since. On May 11^th, 1974, Gail married Bruce in Hartland, and they went on to have two children; Kate and Beth.

Bruce and Gail built a family life that was close-knit, safe, encouraging, dependable, and loving. Kate and Beth have never known a moment when they didn’t feel supported and loved in whatever they set out to do. Gail was a stay-at-home mom, always there after school with snacks and a listening ear. She was present on Wednesday half-days, sick days, snow days, school outings, and volunteered regularly in any activities that needed help. She and Bruce continued that same level of involvement with their grandchildren. They hosted friends and family on Bradshaw Drive, the neighborhood hub where kids gathered after school for snacks and hangouts. Friends knew the door was always open, and Gail was always available. Throughout school and into university, Gail became the go-to proofreader for every essay — she’s unofficially earned several degrees through her editing alone.

Gail was the ultimate foundation and example of what it means to be the kind of mom everyone hopes for – a fact that made her children both very lucky…and able to get away with very little. Her example set a high bar and Kate and Beth leaned on her often for advice and support. The home she and Bruce created remained a welcoming place for anyone in need of of unwavering kindness.

While her family meant absolutely everything to her, it is abundantly clear that her husband was her best friend and ultimate support. They were teammates in everything, and were a real example of a life built on love, respect and trust. Bruce’s retirement brought with it a new schedule that only brought them closer together. From their start on Fulton Avenue, their life on Bradshaw Drive, and then their transition to retirement on Atkinson Lane, they managed to create spaces where everyone wanted to be.

Their grandchildren became a central part of their lives. Brynn, Sam, Oli, and Grace had the chance to try new things, ask questions, and share their passions — often leading Grampy and Grammy to become experts themselves in order to better support them. Each child was made to feel valued, special, and so incredibly important. Grampy and Grammy even playfully competed for their attention — where Grampy was often jokingly labeled a “Sam-hog” or “Oli-hog” when he returned late from an activity and Grammy felt she’d missed out. Grammy relished in finding the perfect gift and collecting toys to play with together – often enjoying them as much as her grandchildren.  She knew each child’s likes, dislikes, and personality, and made sure they all felt like the most important person in her world. And they truly did. We are all grateful for the incredibly meaningful time they were able to spend with her, even as recently as Thanksgiving Monday, when, as she so often did, Gail cooked Thanksgiving dinner and later watched, delighted, as they played family football in the backyard.

Gail will be greatly missed by her husband, Bruce, children, Kate (Graeme Walker) and Beth (Ryan MacVicar), her grandchildren, Brynn MacVicar, Sam Allaby, Oli Allaby and Grace MacVicar. The 2nd youngest of six, her Tompkins siblings, Wayne (Ann), Laurie (Darlene), Lynne, Judith, and Kelly (Donna) will miss her dearly. She was also well loved by her sister-in-law, Janet Crawford (John Ball), and brother-in-law, Stephen Crawford (Sheila Tucker-Crawford), as well as many nieces and nephews including, Chris (Chelsea) and Jeff Tompkins (Line), Alison and Ryan Mesheau (Rachelle), Mitchell (Malory), Noah and Graham Tompkins, Andrew, Dominique and Jennifer Campbell (Peter), and John and Luke Crawford, as well as Erin Crawford, Taylor Horsman (Zac), and River Snowdon. Chosen and adopted family include, Alison and Mary Jo Maxwell and their children (Ali, Brendan, Tim), Dawn Matthews and Aaron Smith, and David Barry (Katie), among many others.

Gail was predeceased by her parents, Bob and Noreen, parents-in-law, Doug and Alberta Crawford, her brothers-in-law, Ken Keirstead (Lynne), and Hans Martini (Janet), sister-in-law, Nancy Graham (Kelly), as well as her favorite furry feline, Molly.

We would like to express thanks for the incredible care she received on the night of the 13^th at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital emergency unit. Especially to those who worked to keep her with us a little longer, and the respectful and kind way they worked with us when that was no longer possible. Dr. David Barry offered kind and helpful advice when needed throughout the difficult process of aging in New Brunswick, and we remain incredibly grateful to have him as part of our team in life as well.

A service of remembrance will be held on Saturday, October 18^th at 1 pm at McAdam’s Funeral Home, with a reception to follow. A live stream of the service will be available to watch at the following link, https://vimeo.com/event/5455843/a1caae1e01. For those who wish, memorial donations may be made to the NB Heart and Stroke Foundation, or the IWK Foundation, both meaningful charities for the family, or a charity of the donor’s choice.