Shrewsbury – Gail M. Harrington, passed away on September 19, 2023, at the UMass Memorial Medical Center Memorial Campus in Worcester, Massachusetts after a courageous year-long battle with cancer. She is now at rest in her heavenly home.
She had resided in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts for the last 35 years. She was born Gail Marie Mas on February 03, 1954, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She was the daughter of the late Raymond Mas and the late Joan (Sperling) Panda. She is survived by her husband of 35 years, Major Alan F. Harrington, USAFR (Ret.), daughter Caroline Redfern and husband Aaron, son Jeffrey, and family members Samantha Morin and her loving daughters Mia and Chloe, who knew Gail as “Nana”. Gail’s siblings include, Dora Carlson, Larry Mas, Penny Lillies, and Scott Mas, all of South Carolina.
Gail graduated from Shelton High School, Shelton, Connecticut in 1972 and went to work for the Southbury Training School in Southbury, Connecticut. In May 1975, she joined the Air Force Reserve and served as a flight medic in the aeromedical evacuation career field. In 1981, she received her nursing degree from the University of Bridgeport, CT, obtained her Air Force Commission and served as an Aeromedical Flight Nurse with the 74th and 439th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadrons at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts. In January 1991, she was called to active duty and deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Storm. Gail retired from the Air Force in 2001 with the rank of Major.
During her civilian career she served as a medical/surgical hospital nurse at several hospitals, and for her last ten years was a hospice nurse at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Gail was known for her compassionate and caring manner as she helped many individuals struggling with their end-of-life transition.
Over the years Gail hosted several foster children and many international exchange students through the American Field Service (AFS), Education First (EF), and the Lions Clubs International Exchange Program. She cared for and treated each of them as if they were her own children. A special guest was Cody, an 18- year-old Jack Russell Terrier, that she brought home as a hospice dog expecting that it would pass in a couple of months. Due to Gail’s love and kindness Cody survived for nearly two additional years.
She was a member of the Shrewsbury Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Shrewsbury American Legion Post 397. Gail attended the First Baptist Church in Framingham, Massachusetts with her husband. Gail was loved by all who knew her and will be dearly missed by her family and friends.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend visiting hours at the Chiampa Funeral Home, 5 Church Road, On the Common, Shrewsbury Center, on Wednesday, September 27th, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Graveside services with Military Honors will be held on Thursday, September 28th at 11:00 a.m. at Mountain View Cemetery, Shrewsbury.
Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 7,2023 at 11:00 AM at The First Baptist Church In Framingham, 1013 Worcester Road (Rte. 9) Framingham, MA 01701. Reception will follow at the end of the service.
