- Date Of Death: September 6, 2022
- State: Georgia
Gail Cameron Wescott, who died in Atlanta on September 6, 2022, left a legacy of women’s journalism seldom matched.
At Smith College, she was a member of the Chamber Choir. On one of their European tours, Gail was introduced to her future career. Gail wrote an article about the Chamber tour for the Smith Alumnae Quarterly, and that story landed her a job at LIFE magazine. From her entry-level position on the clip desk, she rose to become one of the first female journalists to receive a byline at LIFE.
After leaving LIFE, she wrote the New York Times bestseller Rose, a biography of Rose Kennedy, President Kennedy’s mother. Nineteen editions of it were published between 1971 and 1980.
As a freelance magazine reporter, Gail went on to write primarily for the Ladies’ Home Journal and McCall’s. After living in London and moving to Atlanta, she became the Southeastern correspondent for PEOPLE magazine. Stories she covered at PEOPLE introduced her to a myriad of fascinating figures and events, including Billy Graham, President Jimmy Carter, Tammy Faye Bakker, James Brown, Barbara Walters, Martin Luther King III, the 1996 Olympics, and more. No matter whether the person was a celebrity or not, she wrote heartfelt, compassionate articles. As a consummate journalist, she found everyone she met interesting and could find out one’s life story in a matter of minutes. She concluded her career writing articles for Reader’s Digest.
One of her true passions outside of journalism was singing. She was a member of the Cathedral of St. Philip’s choir for over 30 years. With this group, she traveled to sing at Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Another love was her alma mater Smith College.
Gail loved her family.
Gail is survived by her husband of fifty-seven years, Robert Wise Wescott; son, Heyward Wescott (Kristen); granddaughters, Georgia and Cameron; sister, Jean Cameron Phleger; sister-in-law Alison Cameron; goddaughters, Alex Gatje and Nancy’s daughter Helen Kielty, many nieces and nephews, and cherished family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents James and Gertrude Cameron, and brother Donald J. Cameron, MD.
