Gail M. Carmichael

Gail Marie (Gensel) Carmichael, 74, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, November 1st 2025 at UVM Medical Center in Burlington, VT. Calling hours will be held at Frary Funeral Home in Tupper Lake on Friday, November 7 from 10 am until noon. A mass of Christian burial will take place at 12:30pm at St. Alphonsus church in Tupper Lake with Father Serverinus Torwoe officiating. Burial will follow at Gale Cemetery in Childwold, NY.
Gail was born on July 31, 1951 in Tupper Lake, NY to Darwin "Tony" and Lucienne "Lou" Gensel. She was the first of their 5 children. Gail graduated from Tupper Lake High School, Class of 1969. During her youth she loved to downhill ski at Big Tupper Ski Area and spending her summers on Mount Arab Lake. She attended several colleges and graduated from North County Community College in 1973. Gail later moved to Blue Mountain Lake, NY. She worked as a caseworker for the Hamilton County Department of Social Services for nearly 30 years, tirelessly advocating for children, victims of domestic violence, and the elderly throughout the county. This carried on after her retirement as a member of the Blue Mt. Lake Volunteer Ambulance Corp as she served proudly as a basic EMT and as a long serving Treasurer and Secretary for the Indian Lake Fire District #2. She also took part in continuing to be involved in a number of grass roots, community based charitable efforts to provide for people in need during the holiday season and throughout the year. She was well known as a staple at Potter's Resort in Blue Mountain Lake for 25 years, waiting tables, cleaning cottages and later on working the front desk for her dear friends, Bing and Laura Faxon, until it's closing in 2003. After that she migrated to another historical resort, The Hedges on BML, where she helped in a variety of roles for Pat Benton, most notably as the caller for their popular Sunday Night Bingo for guests. Gail enjoyed traveling, shopping and working her luck on the slots as well as spending time with her much beloved grandchildren, Genna and Myles Carmichael, both of Tupper Lake, NY.
Besides her grandchildren she is survived by her son, Geoffrey Carmichael and his wife Dawn, Tupper Lake, her sister, Cindy LaBarge and her husband Richard, her three brothers Darwin Gensel and his wife Sherry, Syracuse, NY, Daniel Gensel and his husband Robert C. Whitehouse, New York City and Robert Gensel and his companion Luis Galano, Queens, NY. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews, all of whom she adored greatly. Gail leaves behind many, many great friends and acquaintances from the Blue Mountain, Indian, Long and Raquette Lake communities that made her life very full and purposeful. Gail was predeceased by her parents.
Those wishing to make memorial contributions are asked to consider Toys for Tots in care of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office at 102 County View Drive, Lake Pleasant, NY 12108 or the Tupper Lake Kiwanis Club's Christmas programs.
Online condolences to the Carmichael family can be made at www.fraryfuneralhome.com