Gertrude Gazaille Was Loving, Caring Person

Gertrude Josephine Gazaille of Edgartown died Saturday, August 9, at the Martha's Vineyard Hospital. She was 89.

Mrs. Gazaille was born on March 17, 1914 in Pittsburg, Pa., the daughter of six children born to Frank and Josephine (Kaczmarck) Puwal. Her mother died when Gertrude was four years old and the family took care of one another and also ran the farm they lived on. Ever since, Gertrude was always concerned for the well being of others before herself.

Mrs. Gazaille moved to Martha's Vineyard in 1936 to work for the Hunter family as a cook. She met her husband, Herman Gazaille, and they married in the fall of 1937.

Together they raised their family of five, which includes Yvonne and her husband, Robert Burnham; Madeleine and her husband, Alfred Perry; David Gazaille and his wife, Donna, and William Gazaille, all of Edgartown, and Donald Gazaille and his wife, Mary, of Trevilians, Va.; a brother, Anthony Puwal and his wife, Elizabeth of Edgartown. The love she had for her 15 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren was as great as it could be.

She was predeceased by her siblings, Theresa Heck, Martha Gazaille, Edward Puwal and Harry Puwal.

Her funeral mass will be celebrated in St. Elizabeth's Church, Edgartown at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12. Interment will follow in the New Westside Cemetery, Edgartown. Donations may be made in her memory to Hospice of Martha's Vineyard, P.O. Box 2549, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 or to Windemere Nursing Home, P.O. Box 1747, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs.