Edith Levi "Gay" Scannell

Gay Scannell, beloved by all her family and friends, passed away peacefully on December 27, 2024 with family by her side at Coble Creek Healthcare Center at Twin Lakes Community, Burlington, NC. She was 98 years old. Born Edith Gray Levi on September 2, 1926 in Berryville, Virginia, she was the daughter of Rice Waigley Levi and Kathleen Estep Levi, the 3rd of their 4 children. Her young cousin called her "Dede Gay" and the "Gay" stuck.Gay attended Berryville High School and Mary Washington College, graduating in 1947 with a degree in English. After college, she taught first grade for a year in Berryville prior to her marriage. During her last year at college, Gay met the love of her life, a UVA student and former WWII naval officer, Joseph Scannell of Lowell, MA. They were married in Berryville on April 10, 1948. Gay and Joe had a long, loving, and devoted marriage, lasting 71 years until Joes death in 2019. Gay and Joe raised 3 daughters, Catherine, Carole, and Lisa. They began their married life in Easton, PA, then to Black Mountain, NC, then on to Lowell and Chelmsford, MA. They spent summers at their beloved lake house in Jaffrey, NH. After Joe sold his business, Fairgrieve Co., they retired back to North Carolina, initially to Fearrington Village, Pittsboro, in 1985, and then to Twin Lakes, Burlington in 2006, along with some close friends from Fearrington. Wherever they lived, Gay and Joe made lots of dear friends. Gay loved getting to know people and cherished new and old friends alike.Our mother was an amazing momloving, supportive, outgoing, and fun. She ran a tight ship but was always there for us. Mom was a lively spirit! With a houseful of family and friends at Jaffrey, she would lead the singing and the charades games. Mom and Dad would be by far the best dancers on the floor when we all broke into dance in the living room. She was a warm and wise grandmother and doting great-grandmother. Gay and Joe played a lot of bridge and tennis, and enjoyed many wonderful trips to other countries. Mom loved music, reading, PBS, and Jeopardy. Up until a month ago, she was still reading at least 12 library books a month. She was a woman of intelligence, kindness, generosity, and curiosity. Gay was a woman of deep faith, an active Presbyterian her whole adult life. She was a devoted member and elder of the Church of Reconciliation in Chapel Hill, NC. She was also an active community volunteer throughout her life, including her church, Girl Scouts, AFS, school tutoring, foster grandparents program, and Loaves and Fishes food bank.Gay was predeceased by her beloved husband, Joseph Scannell; her parents; her sister Jean Levi Robinson; her brothers Rice W. (Buddy) Levi Jr. and Robert C. (Bobby) Levi; and her son-in-law, Louis B. (Skip) Matthews III.Gay is survived by her daughters Catherine Morrissette and her husband Arthur of Old Orchard Beach, ME; Carole Bragdon and her husband Andrew, of Jamesville, NY; and Lisa Matthews, of Lebanon, NH. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Robert Morrissette (Valerie), Benjamin Bragdon, Emily Bragdon, Alison Matthews (Robert Weldon), Peter Matthews (Akari Iwamoto), and Susannah Matthews (Nicholas Mitchell), as well as great-grandchildren Zoe Matthews, Maxwell Morrissette, Jenna Doughty, Joseph Bragdon, Aurora Bayer, and 2 more on the way! Gay is also survived by her cousin, Ella Watson, and many nieces and nephews.The family would like to express our gratitude for all the wonderful staff at Twin Lakes who cared for our mother and especially the amazing people at the Outer Banks unit at Coble Creek who have gone above and beyond in providing such tender loving care in her last year of life. Thanks also to the AuroraCare Hospice team for their expert and compassionate help in her final two weeks. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 10:30 am at Church of Reconciliation, 110 North Elliott Road, Chapel Hill NC 27514, with a reception in the church fellowship hall to follow. A second reception at the Coble Room at Coble Creek Healthcare Center at Twin Lakes Community, 3802 Wade Coble Drive, Burlington will be held later the same day, January 4th, 3:30-5:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Church of Reconciliation, 110 North Elliott Road, Chapel Hill NC 27514.
Celebration of Life and Legacy
Saturday, January 4, 2025
10:30 AM -
Church of Reconciliation
110 N. Elliott Rd.
Chapel Hill NC 27514
US
Funeral HomeCremation Society of the Carolinas
2205 East Millbrook Road
Raleigh NC - 27604
US
(919) 571-3300
(919) 877-0207
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