Gail Widro, community leader and animal lover, dies at 63

Gail Widro (Tilton), of Westbury, formerly Levittown, died on Aug. 31 after a seven-year battle with colon cancer. She was 63.

A fixture in the Westbury, East Meadow and Levittown communities, Widro volunteered as a Girl Scout Leader for Troops 1169 and 1061, was a Cub Scout Leader, and was involved in Boy Scout Troop 507. She was longtime coach for the Levittown Swimming Association (LSA) for Bluegrass Pool and later Carman Ave. pool. In addition, she was an active member of the PTA, organizing blood drives, and a regular attendee of East Meadow School Board meetings. She also volunteered as a supervisor for the Nassau County Board of Elections on Election Days.

She was a longtime educator for The Sands Point Preserve in Port Washington. Widro had a passion for animals, beginning from an early age as a Collie Club member, where she helped her parents in raising, breeding, and showing collies.

 She attended Farmingdale State College, and later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Dairy Science from the University of Georgia.

Widro worked as a dog groomer in Bellmore for 25 years. She was the beloved wife of 41 years to Arnold, loving mother to Amanda, Matthew, Bryan, and Marianne, caring sister to Alicia Bulger (Jim), Nancy Tilton, Tom Tilton (Kelly), and Jena Pinkham. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Services were held at Thomas F. Dalton Funeral Home, Levittown Chapel. Funeral mass was held at St. Brigid R.C. Church. Interment is private. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Hospice Care Network, 99 Sunnyside Blvd, Woodbury, NY 11797

Obituary written by Amanda Widro