Gail Louise Albritton Manuel Alpers

Gail was born and raised in Bradenton and was proud to be a 5th generation Floridian. She graduated from Manatee High School in 1973 and from the University of South Florida in 1979. She also attended Stetson School of Law in 1980.

 Gail was a dedicated member of the International Order of Rainbow for Girls and was Worthy Advisor of Bradenton Chapter #20 several times during her late teens. She was also elected to be a member of the Grand Executive Committee for the State of Florida. Gail later served as the Mother Advisor for Bradenton Assembly. When her daughter, Ashley, joined in 2000, Gail became an integral part of Bradenton Assembly’s Advisory Board. As part of the Advisory Board, she mentored several young ladies who will miss her greatly. 

Gail was initiated into the Order of the Eastern Star in 1998. She enjoyed her time with the members of Bradenton Chapter #87. Throughout her 26 years in the organization, she held several local and state level offices including serving as Worthy Matron of Bradenton Chapter three times, District Instructor twice, and Grand Representative to Connecticut in 2012-2013. She made many Eastern Star friends throughout Florida and beyond. She truly loved being a part of the Masonic Family. 

Her desire to help others extended past the Masonic family. Gail also followed in her father’s footsteps by serving on the Board of Directors of the Bethlehem Memorial Cemetery since his passing in 1995. She used her organizational talents and professional knowledge to help the Cemetery and enjoyed seeing everyone at the Cemetery clean up days and Board Meetings. 

In her spare time, Gail loved movies, dining out, reading, music, and traveling. She had several beloved pets throughout the years, including a cat named TC who currently resides with her daughter in Maryland. She was fiercely proud to be from Florida and had extensive knowledge of local history. Mostly she loved her family and friends and was a kind, thoughtful, generous daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, colleague, and friend. 

Gail spent the first 20 years of her professional career as a Certified Legal Assistant and was a specialist in Probate and Estate Planning. She began her work with Northern Trust Bank in 1999 as a Trust Advisor and was proud to serve as Vice President, Personal and Trust Administration for the past several years. She was respected and admired by her colleagues and clients. She built trust, shared her expertise, and became personal friends with many of her clients throughout the United States. Gail retired from Northern Trust in July of this year.

Most importantly, Gail will be desperately missed by her family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Elbert J. (Al) Albritton and Helen McLaughlin Albritton, her stepbrothers Kenneth Albritton and William Albritton and her first husband Robert (Bob) Manuel.  Gail is survived by her husband Larry Alpers, her daughter Ashley Manuel Kendall (Noel), her sisters Linda Herr (Kent), Jeffi Lynn Westberry (Gerald), her nieces and their families, Kristin Herr Ross, Linley Herr Kilbane and Alison Grace Westberry, and Larry’s daughter and grandson, Jessica Horwich and Charlie. 

There are no words to describe the sadness we feel at the loss of our beloved Gail. Those reading this will never know her unsurpassed kindness, and genuine love for her family and friends. Gail was infinitely patient and cared for those she loved fiercely and protectively.  She was a brilliant woman who was dedicated to her loved ones and clients.  She claimed she was naturally shy, but she made friends easily and maintained loving relationships throughout the years. Gail was taken from us too soon and words cannot describe our profound sense of loss at her passing.  She was a strong, compassionate, and gentle person, bringing love and life into so many hearts. Her absence leaves a hole in our hearts that will never be filled.

Funeral services for Gail Alpers will be held on Saturday, December 21, 2024, at Griffith Cline Funeral Home, 720 Manatee Ave. W. Bradenton, Fl. 34205. Visitation will begin at 10:00am with a service following at 11:00. Gail will then be laid to rest at Bethlehem Memorial Cemetery, 17385 Bethlehem Rd. Mulberry, Fl. which is about a 50-minute drive from Bradenton. Gail loved flowers but in lieu of flowers please consider making a charitable contribution in her memory to one of the following nonprofit organizations that were important to her: Bethlehem Memorial Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund-P.O Box 78, Bradley, Fl. 33835 or Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches, Inc. P.O. Box 2000, Boys Ranch, Fl. 32064