March 24, 2022, 64, Seven Springs –

Gail Davis Cruse, 64, passed away on March 24, 2022. She was born in Lenoir County to the late William Rooney Davis and Mary Magdeline Bass Davison June 29, 1957. In addition to her parents, Gail was preceded in death by a brother, Lynn Davis.

Gail met the love of her life at a grill in Jenny Lind. Following a brief courtship, the two were wed in holy matrimony. Though her husband, Ray, was the head of the household, Gail was the neck that turned it. Gail ran a tight ship and Ray fully supported her. While their children were young, Ray worked two jobs to ensure Gail could stay home and raise their three babies. Her love for Ray and her children was unconditional. She was the anchor of the home and the glue that held everyone together.

While Gail’s children were her pride and joy, nothing compared to the happiness she found in being a grandmother. Isaiah and Madison had Gail wrapped around their fingers, and Gail loved every minute of it. In her eyes, her grandchildren never did any wrong. She made it her mission to spoil them rotten, which made her the “best Grandma ever” in the eyes of Isaiah and Madison. She would stop everything to help them or her children whenever she was needed.

Gail’s love as a mother and grandmother extended even further. She was a “bonus” mom and grandma to her children’s friends. She treated them as if they were her own. Her house was where every friend had a seat at the table, knowing there was always enough prepared, enough to feed an army. She always made sure no one left hungry from her table.

Gail led a simple life and found pleasure in the small things. She started her coffee each morning, making beds and sweeping floors until the pot had stopped brewing. Then, she and Ray would watch the birds in the yard and on the feeder. Gail loved the outdoors and could often be found sitting on the porch or working in the yard. The roses bushes and other flowers she planted were motivation to get her hands dirty and take in the fresh air. In Gail’s spare time, she and Ray would drive to the water and spend hours casting a line and reeling in the fish.

A service of remembrance will be held Monday, March 28, 2022, at 6 p.m. in the chapel of Rouse Funeral Home. The family will receive friends for a time of visitation in the hour before the service.

Gail is survived by her husband of nearly 50 years, Luther Ray Cruse; daughter, Rebecca Dunford and husband, Matt; sons, Michael and Daniel Cruse; grandchildren, Isaiah Dunford and wife, Hannah, and Madison Dunford; and siblings, Patricia Garner (Kenneth), Dalton Davis (Marilyn), Bobby Davis (Gail), and Donnie Davis.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.rousefh.com. Arrangements are entrusted to Rouse Funeral Home.