Gale Marie (Chickadel) Dunlap

Gale Marie passed away Friday August 12th 2016, with her loving husband by her side. She struggled with a rare autoimmune disease for over 2 courageous years.

                Gale Marie was baptized at Christ Our King Church, and continued being a parishioner until her marriage to Wayne. She also was a 1964 graduate of Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, DE. She then continued her education at Thompson Business School. She spent her younger years as a devoted wife and mother. In 1976, Gale Marie spent 12 wonderful years in Annapolis, MD raising her 3 boys; Kevin (Gobo), William (Boober), Sean (Wimbly) and dog Sprocket. In 1988, she and her family moved back to Wilmington, DE where she has since resided.

Gale Marie was a people person. Everywhere she went she made friends. Her personality was beautiful and magnetic. She was very genuine and the littlest things amused her. She enjoyed, reading, movies and her favorite TV series, “Downton Abbey”. Gale Marie also enjoyed her continued friendships that she developed while in retail sales at Sears. Most importantly, her role as a Mom and Grandmother meant the world to her. She enjoyed spending quality time with her grandsons, playing with them and making special memories.

It took Wayne many years to figure out her desire to travel, but thanks to an episode of Magnum PI, Wayne saw Gale’s eyes light up and realized that Hawaii was her dream destination. They were lucky to spend 5 wonderful vacations there. She loved learning about the Hawaiian culture, and would sit with absolute strangers from the Island, and became genuine friends after 10 minutes in conversation.

Gale Marie is survived by her Husband Wayne E. Dunlap, sons Kevin Dunlap, William Dunlap (Debbie) and Sean Dunlap. She is also survived by her brother Ernest Chickadel, (Lisa), Sisters, Patricia Dunlap, Christine McKendry (Tom), Genevieve Igo (Jim), grandsons Nathan and Logan Dunlap. She also survived by many nieces and nephews.

 Gale Marie is preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Genevieve Chickadel also her father and mother in-law, Ellis and Dorothy Dunlap, Brother-in-law Ellis Dunlap III, Daughter-in-law Regina Dunlap and granddaughter Genevieve (Eve) Dunlap.

A Viewing will be held for Gale Marie on Thursday August 18th, 2016 from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Corleto-Latina Family Center, located at 807 N. Union St. Wilmington, DE. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Christ Our King Church, located at 2810 N. Monroe St. Wilmington, DE on Friday August 19th, 2016 at 10:00 A.M.  Interment will follow Mass in Silverbrook Cemetery, located at 3300 Lancaster Ave. Wilmington, De.

In lieu of Flower please make donations to the American Heart Association.