GLOUCESTER: Miriam "Betsy" (Peabody) Gale, 85, of Annisquam and Cincinnati, Ohio died peacefully in Gloucester on June 29, 2009, after an eight year struggle with circulatory diseases.
Betsy’s father, an orthopedic surgeon, grew up in Boston, then moved to Michigan to help start the Henry Ford Hospital after serving in WWI.
Betsy was born in Detroit on September 16, 1923. She attended Liggett School there and Bradford Junior College in Massachusetts. In 1943, following in her mother’s nursing footsteps, she joined the Medical Corps of the U.S. Navy and served until 1945. After the war, she received a bachelor’s degree in social work from Barnard College, graduating in 1948.
Betsy met her future husband Justin E. Gale while she was taking graduate studies in social work at the London School of Economics. She never lost her concern for the poor and disadvantaged. In 1955, she moved with her husband to Cincinnati, Ohio, where after raising her family she became involved in improving affordable housing, particularly day care, computer training, and after-school mentoring. During the 1990’s, she participated in the management of 400 affordable housing units.
Betsy was family-centered with a strong commitment to civic responsibility. She was an avid sailor, musician and artist. Betsy was also a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church of Terrace Park, Ohio and the Annisquam Village Church.
In addition to her loving husband, she is survived by four children, Henry of Westwood MA, Peter of State College PA, Ben of Mill Valley CA, and Emily of London UK, and eight grandchildren, all of whom miss her deeply. She is predeceased by her beloved siblings Anne Peabody Goldthwaite and Charles Newton Peabody, MD.
Committal services will be held on Saturday, July 18th in the Mt. Adnah Cemetery in Annisquam at 10 a.m. Her memorial service will follow in the Annisquam Village Church, 820 Washington Street, Gloucester at 11:00 a.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend.