Gail Fuad was born on May 28, 1936 to Barbara and Edward Drury of Richfield, MN. From a young age, she longed to travel the world. As a teenager, Gail raised enough babysitting money to organize a 6- week trip to Europe. In college she spent a year in Greece teaching English and a summer participating in archaeological digs in Tikal, Guatemala. This was just the beginning. Gail studied at the University of Minnesota, where she received a teaching degree. This is the same place, where Gail met and married Jamal Fuad, a PhD agronomist and Kurdish man from Northern Iraq, and her husband of 35 years. His work took them and their four children to remote places throughout the Middle East including Iraq, Yemen, and Libya. She and Jamal eventually settled in Washington, DC when he took a position with the World Bank. Arriving to the nation’s capital not knowing a soul, Gail made friends quickly when she volunteered to be chair of the welcoming committee for World Bank spouses. Gail was perfect for this position, as she had always been able to connect with folks of all backgrounds and walks of life.
In 1994, Gail eventually returned to Prior Lake, where she had raised her kids with intermittent summer travels to the Middle East. Gail settled back into her routine of delivering and coordinating Meals on Wheels, typing Braille, holding leadership positions with United Methodist Women, joining book clubs, a Spanish club, a bible study group, and even a laugh club! She was also an avid theater buff and reader, and Gail enjoyed immensely her season tickets to the Guthrie and Pen Pals.
Since childhood, the North Shore held a special place in Gail’s heart. In her younger years, she enjoyed walking the trails, and later in her life, watching the Superior waves crash against the rocks.
It would not be possible to talk about Gail without mentioning her love and passion for the game of Scrabble. A skilled player, Gail competed and won at national and local tournaments. She continued to play and win even as Gail neared the end of her life, she found scrabble was the best antidote when her health began to fail.
Gail was extremely devoted to and proud of her family and spent countless hours enjoying time with her children and grandchildren, and was a loving aunt to many nieces and nephews. She will be remembered for her gift of storytelling, ability to make friends with everyone, sense of adventure, keen sense of humor, and love of her family. Gail will be missed but will forever remain in the hearts of many.
Gail Fuad, 80 passed away on March 17, 2017 at her home, she will be forever loved and forever missed by son, Ari (Susan) Fuad; daughters Tanya Fuad, Sonya (Tom O’Bryan) Fuad, Tara (Steve Dinkin) Fuad; 12 grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren; sisters Marta and Joan Drury. She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Barbara Drury and brother John Drury.
The family will greet guests on Friday, March 31, 2017 from 4-7 pm at Ballard-Sunder Funeral and Cremation, 4565 Pleasant Street SE, Prior Lake, MN and one hour prior to the Celebration of Life Service on Saturday, April 1 at 11 am, at Holy Trinity United Methodist Church 16150 Arcadia Ave SE, Prior Lake, MN. Pastor Chad Gilbertson will preside. Gail’s pallbearers will be Ari Fuad, Michael Fuad, Tracy Fuad, David Fuad, Steve Dinkin, Jeremy Dinkin, Simon Dinkin and Tom O’Bryan. She will be laid to rest at Sunset Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN. Gail’s family suggests donations to Emma Norton Services, a non-profit that helps combat poverty and where Gail served on the Board for many years (670 North Robert Street, St. Paul, MN 55101-2523), or Holy Trinity Methodist Church, a place of worship that brought Gail comfort and peace for over 40 years.
