Obituary of Gail Lorraine Soenke

Gail Lorraine Soenke passed away peacefully on Friday, August 5, 2022. Born May 18, 1948, in Alta Dena, CA, Gail was a long time Goleta resident and cancer survivor who heroically fought Type 1 Diabetes for 60 years.

In February 1968, Gail met her husband Alan on their first day of work at an orientation meeting at Air Research in Torrance, CA. They were married December 28, 1968, in Camarillo, CA, and moved to Santa Barbara in September 1976.

Gail was a kind, gentle and loving soul, with a piquant sense of humor and a charming laugh that kept her fighting for good health, along with above-and-beyond support from her devoted husband. Her proudest accomplishment was raising her two sons and building a strong family foundation. She also adored animals, especially rabbits, birds, and baby elephants. Throughout her children’s formative years, she enjoyed visiting the Santa Barbara Zoo, Natural History Museum, Botanic Gardens, the beach, and sneaking off to daytime movies at the theater, or getting ice cream at Swensen’s. Although, her absolute favorite pastime was weekend trips to Solvang to enjoy all the shops, sights and treats it had to offer, and never returning home empty-handed.

She followed a spiritual path and insisted on compassionate conduct towards others, and proper manners, which lifted all of those around her. She walked lightly as an angel on this Earth and will be deeply missed by the many family and friends who loved her.

She is survived by the love of her life and husband of 53 years, Alan Soenke, her two sons, Evan and Justin Soenke, her sister, Virginia Sunday, her half-sister, Susan Daly, and her half-brother, Ray Snyder. She is preceded in death by her father, Charles Edward Snyder, and mother, Mildred Jean Burkholder.

A rosary and viewing are scheduled for Wednesday, September 14, 2022, at 4:00pm, at McDermott-Crockett Mortuary, with a funeral Mass to follow on Thursday, September 15, 2022, at 10:00am, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Montecito, CA. The internment will be held at Goleta Cemetery on Thursday, September 15, 2022, at 11:30am.

Memorial donations may be made to Sansum Diabetes Research Institute