D. Gail DeWitt

Gail, known to her grandchildren as "Mina," lived a quiet and extraordinary life in the gentle, steady, and beautiful way she shaped the world around her. As a young girl, she first expressed her creativity through sewing, and that creative spirit only grew stronger throughout her life. Her resourcefulness spanned decades, always finding a way to create something out of nothing.

As an adult, that creative spark never dimmed. She expressed it in the meals she cooked, the stained-glass pieces she crafted, the paintings she brought to life, the garden she tended, and the effortless way she could arrange a handful of ordinary items into something you couldn't help but admire.

Gail was a self-taught chef and spent more than 25 years as the head chef at Ruchsville Inn. This is where her talent and intuition in the kitchen became widely known. She cooked and baked with such love and ease that her kitchen became the heart of the home. Even on a shoestring budget, she could turn simple ingredients into a feast, often using the vegetables grown in the family garden–though her children would be quick to point out that they enjoyed the endless weeding far less than she enjoyed the harvest.

Although Gail kept a small circle of friends, she had a natural warmth that made people feel instantly at ease. She listened, encouraged, and shared what she loved with those around her. She raised her family with love, patience, and ingenuity. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who indulged countless art projects and encouraged each child's creativity to take the lead.

Gail was almost always seen with a cup of tea in hand. She adored her four-legged, furry friends, loved crisp white, button-down shirts, surrounded herself with handsome antiques, and wore a wristtful of beaded bracelets she crafted herself. She sought out sunrises and never turned down a chance to learn or try something new.

What people will remember most is the warmth she brought into everyday life. Gail created beauty not for applause, but because it brought her joy–joy she shared in simple, quiet ways. It made others feel seen and cared for. Her legacy lives on in the things she made, the traditions she passed down, and the calm, steady kindness that defined her. Her hands made beautiful things, but her heart is what made a beautiful life.

Gail was born in Toledo, Ohio, grew up in Oil City, Pennsylvania, and raised her own family in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She was one of six children of Dorothy Mae (Diman) and John L. DeWitt. She is survived by her sisters Cheryl Barr and Joyce (Tim) Meals.

She is survived by her four children: Greg (Donna) Dille, Amy (Sam) Boncaro, Melissa (Wayne) Manness, Andrew "Drew" (Tonya) Dille, and their father Larry Dille.

She is also survived by her grandchildren: Nikki, Sofia, Nicole, Faith, Elizabeth, Hannah, Kristina, Dillon, Jake, and Will, and her great-grandchildren: Carter, Avery, Julissa, DJ, and Annaliese.

She was preceded in death by her siblings Sintha Anderson, William DeWitt, Charles Dewitt, and her granddaughter Gianna.

Donations in her memory can be made to the animal shelter, The Sanctuary at Haafsville, by clicking the link thesanctuarypa.org

A celebration of life will held at a later date.