Millicent "Gail" Boose

Millicent Gail Boose, age 74, of Peoria, Illinois, died on Wednesday, October 15, 2025 in Peoria, with her large and loving family at her bedside.
Gail, as she liked to be called, was born on June 26, 1951 to John F. and Opal Fay (Bennett) Boose. She married Neal Anthony Davis in Henry, IL on March 14, 1969, and they had three beautiful daughters, who all survive her.
Gail grew up in a large and loving home in Henry, IL, where her parents ran the Boose Funeral Home. Her father had to set aside dreams of becoming a missionary doctor so he would have been very proud that his second-oldest daughter went on to become a successful nurse and nursing instructor, teaching for 25 years at Graham Hospital School of Nursing in Canton, IL.
She pursued nursing while working and raising her daughters, graduating from Illinois Central College with an Associate's Degree in Nursing in 1984, then graduating from the University of Illinois in Springfield with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1989. She then obtained her Master's of Science in Nursing from Bradley University in 1995, while working full-time.
She started her career at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center where she set up the Intermediate Neonatal Care Unit in 1989. Over the years, she also had other roles, including as the Assistant Director of Blood Services at the American Red Cross, and the Administrator/Director of Nursing at a home care agency, Nurses House Call.
In addition to her long career teaching nursing at Graham, Gail also continued to work the OB floor at Methodist Hospital, as well as teaching courses for 8 years at Methodist College of Nursing.
Helping mothers deliver healthy babies and then going on to teach those skills to other nurses, this was her life's work. She touched many lives, putting her heart and soul into her patients and students.
Gail was also a devout Christian, attending the First United Presbyterian Church of Henry and then Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria. Her grandfather was a Presbyterian minister.
She volunteered for many years at her hometown church, served her community, and was kind to everyone she met.
She loved spending time with family, particularly arranging tea parties or large Christmas gatherings. In fact, she even learned the correct way to serve tea during a special trip to England she took with her sister, Toni.
Gail enjoyed making her home beautiful and would have been an interior decorator if she hadn't pursued nursing. She also loved taking care of all her cat babies over the years.
Gail is survived by her three daughters, Jennifer (Randy Stevens) Davis of Chillicothe, IL, and Trina (Michael) Woody and Celena (Sumner) Bourne, both of Peoria, IL; her sister, Meridith Jane (Bill) Mattox of Pontiac, IL; half-brother John Boose and half-sister Jean Boose; Cousin Dennis (Kim) Bennett of Woodford County, who was raised with Gail as a sibling; and grandchildren, Drew, Alex, Jacob, Samantha, Preston, Aaron and Lydia. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews.
Gail is also survived by her dearest friend and "soul sister" Sherry Olson of Peoria, IL.
She was preceded in death by her parents, first husband, Neal Anthony Davis, and siblings Julia A. "Toni" Pairan, Robert "Butch" Boose and Elizabeth Ann "Beth" Chappel.
Visitation will be from 5-7 PM on Friday, October, 24, 2025 at Wright & Salmon Mortuary. Funeral service will be at 11 AM on Saturday, October 25, 2025 with Pastor Timothy Severt officiating, with an additional visitation at 10:30 AM. Burial will be at 3 PM at Henry Cemetery, Henry, IL.
Memorials may be made to an education fund for Aaron Hall to be set up at Better Banks or to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases or the Diabetes Research Institute.
Tributes and condolences may be left at www.wrightandsalmon.com