See, Gail Avid reader, bookseller, president of ABA, and beloved board member of literary nonprofits in the Twin Cities, Gail See passed away on July 15 at the age of 94. She is survived by daughters Virginia of Long Lake and Helena of Eugene, OR, grandsons Jamie, Peter, and Alexandre (Virginie), and two great grandsons, Antoine and Adam. She was predeceased by her husband, Hank, son, Henry, and dog, Lil. Gail was born in Tacoma, WA, graduated from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts in 1949, and married her beloved husband, Hank, in Connecticut in 1950. Gail bought the Bookcase in Wayzata in the seventies where she loved serving readers by connecting them with books she knew they would like. As part of the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce, she worked to keep a thriving retail environment in the town. She was the first female board member of the Wayzata Bank and Trust (now Wells Fargo), a founding member of IOCP, a member of the LMGC, and the Honorable Chair of Wayzata's 150th celebration. Gail's true passions were books and literature. As president of the American Booksellers Association, she travelled the world promoting independent bookstores and developing programs to train owners. In the eighties, she became a founding member of both the Minnesota Center for Book Arts and an early board member of Graywolf Press. She was one of the first board members of Open Book, the building that now houses MCBA, the Loft, and Milkweed Editions. Her tireless work for the Open Book building campaign is recognized by the Gail See staircase. In the early nineties she sold the bookstore, became one of the founding publishers of Hungry Mind/Ruminator Press, and joined the board of the Loft Literary Center. The following decade, after Open Book was completed, she rejoined the board of Graywolf Press, where she went on to chair both its board and its national council. She remained an engaged and enthusiastic member of the Graywolf national council for the rest of her life. She was passionate about libraries, and as a board member of the Library Foundation of Hennepin County helped create the Pen Pals Lecture Series. She was also a committed board member of the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Although not a native Minnesotan, she was fiercely proud of her adopted state and the literary scene that she worked so hard to build and sustain. Her exceptional work was recognized in 1999 at Minnesota Book Awards with the Kay Sexton Award. Hers was a life devoted to making the world a better place through her committed service and generous friendship. She had an insatiable curiosity and passion for learning in every situation. Hers was a life well-lived, well-loved, and well- read, and she believed she was both fortunate and blessed. Gail was the embodiment of gratitude and wished to be remembered as someone who wanted to make a difference in the world by expanding her own and others' horizons through reading and conversation. All who knew her loved her, and she will be greatly missed by her family and legions of friends. A celebration of her life will be held at 3PM on Sunday, October 2 at Woodhill Country Club. Memorial donations can be made in her name to Graywolf Press at graywolfpress.org

Published on July 24, 2022