Jemison Stuart Abbot Gale

Jemison Gale went on to God’s glory Saturday morning, 30 May 2025 at the age of 81. Jemison Stuart Abbott was born to Jeanette A. Miller and Robert Louis Abbott on 28 February 1944 in San Antonio, Texas where her father was an aviation cadet.

Jemison was a proud American and world traveler. She always beamed when given the opportunity to highlight her father (US Naval Academy) and three brothers Pete (US Air Force Academy), Charles (West Point) and John’s (West Point) military training and service. In 1960 Charles nominated Jemi for his homecoming court at the US Military Academy, she was chosen as the Princess of the 2nd Battalion and went on to become the runner up for West Point Homecoming Queen at the age of 16, the news made the papers from the mid-Atlantic all the way back home to Dallas, Texas. Throughout her school years Jemi was active in her community as a member of the Lads and Lassies Club - the proud Scot that she was, the St. Michaels and All Angels Church Choir, Opera Debs, and Highlandaires as well as a runway and print model for Neiman Marcus. Throughout her life Jemison frequently recounted childhood memories filled with stories of camping adventures to Lake Michigan where she and her brothers would catch and cook their own frog legs, summers in the Catskills of New York with her grandmother and aunts, weekly if not daily horseback riding and singing every hymn in the hymnal as her mother played the piano.

After matriculating from Highland Park High School, Jemi went on to the University of Colorado in Boulder to be near her eldest brother Robert (Pete) Louis Abbott, Junior. One fateful weekend home from school her dear friend and fellow artist Odette de Bruniere introduced Jemi to her brother, Gordon Gale who was visiting from the University of Virginia. The two were kindred spirits and it was not long before Jemison transferred to the University of Virginia. Then on New Year’s Eve 1970 they were wed at the Gale family estate, Red Bluff Plantation, in Hardeeville, South Carolina, where they made their home for the next decade. Frequent trips took the couple hunting both birds and antiques in Europe, visiting family in New England, Dallas and Palm Beach, and further afield on other adventures. The couple was overjoyed to welcome their only child, Elbridge St. John Abbott Gale into the world in 1979.

Jemison’s love of language, art and design assured she was never far from her sketch pad, garden or an antiques market. Decorating houses was a particularly joyful task both for Jemi herself and all who visited her well feathered nests. In 1984 following her divorce and a successful renovation project on Lamboll Street in Charleston, South Carolina Jemison decided to move to Europe where she honed her drawing and painting talents at the Chelsea School of Art in London. Here she nurtured lifelong friendships from her home base on Upper Cheney Row with frequent sojourns to the south of France, The Mediterranean and Zimbabwe before it fell.

Jemison had a gift for never meeting a stranger, weather it be another traveler on a train, a new neighbor, or a school yard acquaintance her bonds of friendship were lasting and brought her great joy, especially those with Pamela Ventura, Patricia and Peter Rodgers, sister-in-law Renee Abbott, Sallie Ballard, Rosemary Busta, and Sarah Gaisford.

When Jemison returned to the States as her son entered middle school she chose to settle in her beloved Charlottesville, Virginia where she has attended University. Here she was active at St. Paul’s Church, passionate about gardening, on the PTA of St. Anne’s Belfield School and an active member of both Farmington and Boar’s Head Country Clubs. And there was not an antique store in the region that didn’t know and love her.

In 1998 Jemison moved back to Charleston bringing her artistic nature, collector’s eye and delightfully playful Shakespearian quotes with her as she renovated two more historic downtown properties. The last decade of Jemison’s life was spent enjoying ice cream with her grandchildren, singing, crafting and making new friends at Bishop Gadsden Retirement Community. Ever the night owl, Jemi would stay up with her beloved friends on staff sneaking peanut butter sandwiches, playing games and singing hymns. It is to this wonderful team, especial Martha Smalls and Father Dow, that we owe a deep and lasting debt of gratitude for adding such rich experiences to her last chapter of life. In her final days with her beloved son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren by her side and with Lutheran Hospice offering great comfort and grace that Jemison rejoined her cherished brothers in God’s kingdom.

Jemison was proceeded in death by her brothers Robert (Pete) Louis Abbott, Junior, Thomas Charles Abbott, parents Mr. & Mrs. Robert Louis Abbott, Senior, and sister-in-law, Odette de Bruniere Benjamin Terrel des Chenes. She is survived by her son Bridger (Meredith) Gale and their children Ebbs and Lyely Gale of Charleston, South Carolina, former husband Gordon (Angela) Gale of Bluffton, South Carolina, brother John (Lynda) Abbott of Red Oak, Texas, sister-in-law, Renee Abbott of San Diego, California, and sister-in-law Judy Abbott of Austin, Texas along with 10 nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to St. Philips Church.

A service will be held in celebration of her life at 2pm on Tuesday 10 June 2025 at St. Philips Church (in the Chapel at the east side of the graveyard as the main sanctuary is under renovation) 142 Church Street, Charleston, South Carolina. The family will receive guests at a reception immediately following the service in the Parlor of St. Philips, on the corner of Church and Queen streets.