Gail Patricia Wackerow Kirby, aged 84, of Kingwood, Texas, passed away on January 12, 2026, in Houston.

She was born on June 26, 1941, in Rochester, New York, to Isabel and Paul C. Wackerow. Gail was a first-generation college graduate, receiving her Bachelors Degree in Education from the University at Albany, SUNY in 1963, with additional studies at Rutgers Foreign Language Institute. After beginning her career teaching high school Spanish in Brockport, New York, Gail continued teaching for many years in the Houston area, including at Kingwood, Nimitz, and Carver High Schools. She touched the lives of countless students throughout her career.

Known for her kind and gentle spirit, Gail was a voracious reader and a fan and supporter of music and the arts. She loved her pets, gardening, singing, and spending time with her many friends and family.

Gail was an active member of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Kingwood, Texas, where sang in the choir as well as the Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa.

Gail is survived by children Brian P. Kirby, Sean P. Kirby (Amanda), Kathleen S. Kirby, and grandchild Michael J. Kirby II, son of Sean and Amanda Kirby, her brother Paul J. Wackerow (Linda), and many nieces nephews, cousins, and extended family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Michael J. Kirby, her parents, and sister, Diane L. Randall.

A service to honor Gail's life will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 11:00AM at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Kingwood, TX. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alpha Delta Kappa Foundation which funds scholarships for future educators and altruistic efforts in the community.