Obituary of Gail Horton

Betty Gail Menshouse Horton, 83, went home to be with the Lord, Friday, January 26, 2024.

Gail Horton was born in Ashland, KY to the late Cecil Menshouse and Frances Virginia Montgomery Menshouse.  She was a member of Bethesda Church of God in Sumter. She attended Deer Park Baptist and was a part of the Lydia Sunday School Class, which she loved. A breast cancer survivor and savvy businesswoman, she enjoyed drawing, painting, and photography and especially singing in the church choir.  Gail owned and operated Jack and Jill Nursery School for over 40 years, caring for hundreds of children in the Sumter, SC area. Later in life Gail enjoyed modeling and traveling.

A loving mother of five children; surviving, are three sons, David Horton (Debra) of Simpsonville, SC, Mark Horton (Amy) of Marietta, GA, and Anthony Horton (Jill) of Sumter, SC; a daughter, Regina Kyle (Kenny) of Clermont, FL. Gail was affectionately known as “MeMe” a name given to her by her first grandson, Jason Kyle, and was blessed with sixteen other grandchildren, Danny Ecklund (Sandra), Lee Horton (Meghan), Brandy Prince (Derek), Nick Horton (Paulina), Brittney Kyle (Bo McAlister), Alyssa Metze (Chris), Brandon Horton, Chelsea Habbick (David), Brett Horton, Sierra Horton, Bryce Horton, Twila Horton, Sam Horton (Taylor), Will Luzzi, Anna Luzzi and Preston Horton; and eight great-grandchildren. Also surviving are her beloved sister, Ruth Potter of Raceland, KY and a daughter-in-law, Mary Horton of Goose Creek, SC. She was preceded in death by a son, Richard L Horton III; a brother, Cecil “Buddy” Menshouse, Jr.; a sister, Jessie Johnson; a sister-in-law, Jeanette Menshouse and two brothers-in-law, James Johnson and James H. Potter.

Special thanks to Infinity Church, Fountain Inn, SC, Pastor Philip Long, Shain Long, Dan & Wanda Perry, Sandra Gladden, and Brad & Lori Garrison for loving on Gail and all of their support during her final days. Also, thanks to Open Arms Hospice, Suzanna, Tara, Anna, Tracy and especially Nurse Brenda for the compassionate, loving care, and comfort they provided.

A memorial service will be held at Deer Park Baptist Church in North Charleston, SC on March 9^th at 2pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Foundation (www.alzfdn.org)or the Breast Cancer Research Foundation
(www.bcrf.org ).