Gail Annette Moroney

Gail Annette Latham Moroney died at home on February 15, 2021 surrounded by family after a courageous battle with lung cancer.

Gail was born in Ashland on September 8, 1949 and raised with her brothers by an orphaned single mother in a farmhouse outside Mount Vernon. Nobody grew up poorer or led a richer life because of it.

The kindness of a local grocer inspired her as a small girl to want to own a market of her own. Gail bought Troy Road Market on the north end of Ashland in 1975 and owned and operated it for 40 years until her retirement in 2015. She built the most successful independent carryout in Ashland County. When the factories left, she stayed, expanded the deli, rented movies, and for many years was the number one lottery ticket agent in the county. It wasn't a nuisance; she opened an express lane.

She tore one house down for extra parking and came to own half the houses on the block over the years. She lived next door for decades and put both of her kids through college. In later years, she marveled she had never been robbed, despite counting three generations of neighbors as her family and friends.

She gave out gloves and hats at Christmas. She gave away groceries on credit and stopped at homes to forgive debts when she knew there was a need. Just over 5' tall and 100 pounds with change in her pockets, she also cruised the neighborhood collecting overdue movies, bad checks and outstanding debts.

Gail was the most courageous person we knew. She never complained and she never spoke badly of anyone. She faced sexism and blatant discrimination with grace and dogged determination. She was ready to help with every sob story. In a sink or swim life, she believed in helping people float and seeing what happened. But if you mistook her for a pushover, it was a lesson you learned the hard way.

If you grew up on the northside of Ashland at any time since Jimmy Carter was president, we hope she touched your life in a positive way. She considered you family.

Her vice was hot cars and she graduated from Chryslers, to Camaros, to Corvettes, to Jaguars, to a Volvo she bought in retirement and named "Precious." When not working, which was rare, she loved nothing more than spending time with family. She traveled all over the country to see her children and grandchildren and was always there to help. She also enjoyed fishing, going to casinos, listening to Anne Murray, golf and collecting Emmett Kelly Jr.

Gail is survived by her partner in life of 30 years, Lisa Armstrong, and her two children Joel (Sally) Moroney, of Fort Myers, Florida and Lynn (Jed) Smith of San Antonio, Texas; grandchildren Madison, Cheyenne and Chase Smith; her brothers Cary (Betty) Latham and Greg (Belinda) Latham and niece Jennifer Latham, all of Kentucky Lake; and half-siblings Kim Shoudt, of Columbus, and Jeff, Barry and Laura Latham of Port Clinton, Ohio.

She was preceded in death by mother Jo (Clarence) Shoudt; father Gaylord (Pauline) Latham, beloved grandmother Lois Walton, beloved aunt and uncle Lawrence and Vivian Easterday, cousin Steve Easterday and nieces Charlene and Cari Ann Latham