Gail Louise Lemberger

Celebrating Life

Gail Lemberger, retired therapist and school counselor, died at her home Friday, December 1, 2023, at the age of 69. 

Born in Wisconsin to parents Harold and Ellen Lemberger, she came to Oregon via way of Florida. A self-described Bohemian, she settled in Eugene, Oregon but called home many urban and rural towns before settling in Baker City, Oregon, with her husband Fred, on a small plot of land where she could pursue her dream of owning horses. 

She was a skilled pianist, a 3rd dan in Aikido, and a gritty, lucid writer. She was contemplative and a consummate lover of wild places and the wild things that live there. She enjoyed exploring these on the back of her Arabian horse, Neiko. Whether studying aikido, music, human behavior, or horsemanship, she approached them with a deliberation and intensity that was inspiring. 

She spent over 40 years as a stalwart leader in the mental health treatment community, her compassion touching countless lives. Her experience took her from substance abuse recovery to therapy and supervision to work with young people in schools. Her strength and clinical acumen commanded a room, giving comfort to those experiencing tragedy or pain and hope and reassurance during times of uncertainty. 

Gail was preceded in death by her husband, Fred LeWando, and her father, Harold Lemberger. She is survived by her mother, Ellen Lemberger, and her brother. 

Gail will be remembered most for her compassion, her strength, and her ebullient and contagious laugh.  In lieu of flowers, family and friends request that donations be made to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Obituary courtesy of Grays West & Co. Pioneer Chapel.

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