Gail Walter Tuttle

Gail Walter Tuttle

July 11, 1951 – March 10, 2024

Our beloved Gail passed from our lives, in peaceful slumber, on March 10, in Bluffton, South Carolina.   She was an extraordinary woman who left an indelible mark on everyone she touched.  With her enormous capacity for empathy, her unstoppable energy and her zest for life, her passing will leave a deep and lasting chasm in too many lives to mention

Gail is survived by her beloved and adoring husband, Randall Tuttle.  She was the caring stepmother of Ryan and Kristyn Tuttle, the loving grandmother to Wesley Tuttle, and mother-in-law to Meagan Gormally.  Gail is also survived by her sister, Jane Fried, of New City, New York, and her husband, Barry.  Gail was the loving aunt to Jane & Barry’s children Mitchell (and Melissa) Fried, Diandra Fried (and Scott Dinner), and Brian Fried.  She also leaves behind her brother Jay Neiditch, of Arlington, Virginia, and Jay’s daughters and Gail’s beloved nieces, Katie Neiditch (and Jon Mendez) of San Diego, California, Jodi Koptiw (and Mike Koptiw) and two grand nephews, Alex and Everett Koptiw. From her prior marriage to her beloved Thomas Walter, she is survived by her stepchildren Marisa Wilson and Kevin Walter.  It is a tribute to Gail’s life that there are too many additional friends and relatives to mention here, whose lives she touched.

Gail grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut, the daughter of Tim and Dianne Neiditch.  From this idyllic beginning, her life took her through the tumultuous years of the Woodstock generation, which Gail fully enjoyed and embraced.  Her journey next took her to San Francisco where Gail and Tom lived life to the fullest, including owning and running a very popular bar.  After her mother’s passing, Gail and Tom returned to Connecticut, where she re-embraced her roots, including getting her BA, magna cum laude, while working full time. It was here that Gail merged her penchant for caring and organization in her work at Duncaster, a large senior housing and support facility.  Her final chapter brought her down to Bluffton, South Carolina.  It was there, some time after Tom’s passing, that Gail met Randy. and an extraordinary love affair began. They met playing pickleball, and soon after that Gail was cajoling Randy onto the dance floor, and Randy was introducing Gail to the golf course, which she embraced with her usual passion.  They were an ideal couple, who merged two very different lives into one loving and harmonious adventure.  

Gail had several distinctive traits that immediately jumped out at you, including her energy and her organizational skills. But the trait that most truly captured her spirit and essence was her enormous capacity for love and caring.  Gail gave to others with all her heart and soul unconditionally, willingly, and tirelessly.  When she was working at Duncaster, where the age, fragility, and needs of her clients were critical, she made everyone, every client, family member, and every co-worker feel that they were the center of her world and that they were in safe, caring, and compassionate hands.  Even here in Sun City after retirement, Gail never lost her passion for caring.   Whether it was her volunteer work helping anyone who needed a helping hand, or a friend or relative with any need at all, Gail was always there, with her love, her energy, and her passion.  There not enough words to sum up Gail’s life or the impact she had on others, for Gail never did anything at less than 100%, most especially in love, and caring for family, friends, or strangers. She will be truly and deeply missed by too many people to mention.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to any of the following charities: American Red Cross, St. Jude’s, the Alzheimer’s Association, or whatever  charity is closest to you.