Gail Louise Harris

Gail Louise Harris
05/10/2025
Gail Louise Felper Harris MA, BCET, passed away peacefully on May 10, 2025. Gail was born in 1942 in Chicago, Illinois to parents Philip and Cecile Felper. Her maternal grandfather came to America as a teenager by stowing away on a ship from the old country in Ukraine and educated himself to become a successful dentist. He tutored Gail in geometry over the telephone and taught her the value and joy of learning, which she passed on to her own children and to many other children she worked with over the years. Gail's father was a pioneering pilot who flew all over the world throughout her childhood. She grew up with her younger brother, David, on the West Side of Chicago playing baseball and riding her bike in the street with the neighborhood kids. She later moved to the Northwest Side where she excelled in school and graduated from Von Steuben High School as valedictorian. She met her high school sweetheart, Gerald (Jerry) Harris, at the age of 15 at a Thanksgiving AZA social dance and they were married in 1962. She attended University of Illinois and Roosevelt University in Chicago and became a well-loved first grade teacher at Jane Stenson School in Skokie.
Gail and Jerry moved to San Francisco in 1966 for Jerry's medical residency in pediatrics and fell in love with the city's beauty and diverse culture. Their three children are all native San Franciscans and the family was a member of Congregation Sherith Israel for over 50 years. Family memories include Mt. Tam hikes, Marin cheese factory picnicking, countless art exhibits at the Legion of Honor and the museums in Golden Gate Park.
Gail was inspired to return to school to pursue a Master's degree in Special Education at San Francisco State University and became a member in her profession through the Association of Educational Therapists. She built a thriving private practice and a stellar reputation working one-on-one with children from schools across the city. She was proud to have made a difference in many children's lives by helping them surpass their learning challenges to reach their full potential, resulting in long-term supportive relationships. Gail was intellectually curious, fiercely loyal to her family and close friends, and believed strongly in liberal politics and serving others in a helping profession. She also had a deep love for travel and enjoyed exploring the world and broadening her mind through avid reading and the arts. Her children fondly recall the well-planned family trips abroad that were always off the beaten path.
Gail's greatest joy was her family. She is survived by her husband Jerry ( married for 62 years), her three children, Holli, Scott (Karen), and Heather (Mike), and her two beloved grandchildren, Kaitlin and Hadley. Private services will be held.