Doris Isabel Gaskill (Crosby), age 93, passed away on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. Her life’s journey began in 1929 in North Tonawanda, NY. Born the daughter of Edna E (Winger) Hammond and Nagle R. Crosby, she was raised by her mother and stepfather, Lester J. Hammond in Gasport, NY.
Doris married her true love, Richard M. (Dick) Gaskill, on February 3, 1951, in Omaha, NE, where he was stationed in the Air Force. They worked side by side with farm operations in Western New York before moving to Milford, MI, to manage Oakland Orchards. In 1973 they bought a farm of their own and opened Saline Orchards, in Saline, MI. In 1984 they semi-retired and moved to a small farm in Milan, MI. At full retirement they lived in Ann Arbor and Dundee, MI, before Dick’s passing in 2015. Afterward, Doris lived between her sons in Fairfax Station VA, and Milan.
Blessed with four children, ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, she was known for her kindness, quick wit, energy and spunk. She easily made friends wherever she happened to be, and was known to laugh until she cried.
Doris loved her family more than anything and she leaves behind her children Patricia (Lance) Smotherman, Ronald (Clare) Gaskill, Richard (Valerie) Gaskill, and Terri (Michael) Benz. Grandchildren Scot (Jessica) Smotherman, Courtney (Dylan) Wren, Jody (Anthony) Garofalo, Jennifer (Nathan) Sloan, Izzy Thorp-Wall, Evelyn Corbin, RJ (Sammy) Gaskill, Christian Gaskill, Jacqueline Gaskill, Kelsey Benz, and Kayla (Evan) Bohinsky. Also surviving are her great-grandchildren Skylar, Isla, Taylor, Jami, Kayla, Maddie, Mason, Desmond and Christian Jr, as well as an expected great-grandson in August. In New York state, she leaves behind brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Jesse (DeMerle) Elsenheimer, Margaret E. (James) Lambalzer, and Nellie Gaskill, and nieces and nephews, John, Jerry, Kandi, Derk, Suzie, Michael, Debbie, Connie, Kevin, Brian, Kimberly and Chris.
She was preceded in death by her parents, stepfather, and siblings Lloyd R. Crosby, Harold R. Crosby and N. June Elsenheimer. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, July 10, 2022, in Milan.
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