Gail Yvonne Burleson

OBITUARY FOR GAIL (STEFFEY) BURLESON

The family of Gail Steffey Burleson shared her passing on October 5, 2026, at the age of 90. A longtime resident of Johnson City, Gail was a 1954 graduate of Science Hill High School and the first in her family to be graduated from college at East Tennessee State University in 1958, with a degree in Elementary Education.

After college, Gail married Lt. Charles E. Burleson, also a graduate of ETSU, and the two spent the next twenty years raising two daughters, Deborah and Belinda, and residing at various Army postings in Germany, Taiwan, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee and Kentucky. During this time, Gail worked as a third grade teacher at the Taiwan American School, and a middle school teacher in Kentucky. She also earnined a master's degree in counseling from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green.

In 1978, Gail became a guidance counselor at Mt. Juliette High School in Nashville and eventually returned to Johnson City where she served as the Director of the Veteran's Upward Bound program, at ETSU, for almost 20 years.

In retirement, Gail was an active member of the Virgil Anderson Sunday School class at Munsey Memorial Methodist Church, and civic organizations including Friends of the Library, Monday Club, P.E.O., and the ETSU Alumni Association. Gail loved to read, garden, travel and spend time with her sisters and grandchildren.

Gail is survived by her daughters: Deborah Burleson Ledbetter and Belinda Burleson, son-in-law Bill Ledbetter, sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Richard Kirk, grandchildren Kate Ledbetter Smith, Michael and Abby Ledbetter, Elijah, Charles and Anna Dandy, and great grandchildren Teddy and Juliette Smith.

Services for Gail will be held at Munsey Memorial Methodist Church, 201 S. Roan Street, at 2 o'clock, on Sunday, October 18, 2026. Reception to follow at the Gathering Place.

Memories and condolences may be shared via www.morrisbaker.com

Morris-Baker Funeral Home, 2001 E Oakland Ave, Johnson City, is honored to serve the Burleson family. (423) 282-1521