Madelon Gail Lucky was born Nov. 17, 1940 to David Harold and Jean Dell Porter in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She spent her formative years in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and moved often to follow her fathers’s call as a pastor.

She settled in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2004, having earlier lived in Colorado and Southern California, including several decades in Santa Barbara.

Madelon Gail was thrice blessed in marriage: to Quentin L. Richard from 1967 until his death in 1990; to William E. Zajic from 1993 until he died in 1994; and to Maurice Charles Lucky from 1997 until he passed in 2016.

Gail leaves behind numerous stepchildren and extended family with whom she maintained meaningful relationships.

An insatiable learner with an inquisitive mind and unparalleled memory, Gail was committed to education and delighted in both domestic and international travel, especially cruises.

She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, earned a master’s from San Francisco State University, and later served as teaching instructor at UCSB.

Gail dedicated her life to serving and caring for others. She was an ordained deacon in the Presbyterian Church and an active P.E.O. sister; served on the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission Board; and supported the Braille Institute.

She passed peacefully at home with family and her dog Rolex by her side.

Gail will be remembered for her devotion to friends and family and the vibrant life she cultivated across many places and seasons.