Glenda Gail Coburn, age 71, of Richardson, Texas, died peacefully on Sunday, February, 21, 2021 at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas surrounded by family.
Gail was born April 30, 1949 in Purcell, Oklahoma, to Glenn William Underwood and Clarissa Mae (Matthews) Underwood. Gail was a 1967 graduate of Purcell High School where she was a Purcell Dragon’s cheerleader.
She married James Douglas (Doug) Ratcliff the summer after her graduation. Gail and Doug moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex shortly after they married where Gail began working as a bank secretary. They divorced in 1973.
She later worked as secretary for the director of the Creative Arts Department at the Texas State Fair, then as office manager for a software company before becoming a legal secretary. She worked her way up to the position of human resource administrator for the oldest and largest law firm in Dallas before leaving to finish her college education.
Gail’s love of people led her to obtain an Associate of Arts and Science degree from Richland College and Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Science in Social Work degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington. She married actor Bill Coburn onstage at the 1998 State Fair of Texas. Bill’s eventual call to ministry led Gail to work for private mental health centers and hospitals in Oklahoma, Kansas and New Hampshire before finally opening a private practice in Dallas upon returning to the DFW metroplex.
She enjoyed reading, traveling and fine dining, but love for family, especially her three grandchildren, led her to spend as much time as possible with them.
Gail was preceded in death by her parents, Glenn and Clarissa Underwood and her brothers, Randel Lee Underwood and Larry “Bo” Underwood.
She is survived by her husband, Rev. Bill Coburn, of the home; son, James Daniel Ratcliff (Brooke) of Sachse, Texas; sister, Valorie Diane Sanders (Gary) of Moore, Oklahoma; sister-in-law, Connie Sue Underwood of Moore, Oklahoma; grandchildren, Samuel James Ratcliff, Olivia Nicole Ratcliff and Camille Ruth Ratcliff of Sachse, Texas, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life was held Saturday, February 27, 2021 at 2 p.m. at Northway Christian Church, 7202 Northwest Highway, Dallas with the Rev. Virzola Law and the Rev. John Burton officiating.
