Obituary of Gail Wolcott Huntington

Dr. Gail Shivell Huntington, known also by her nickname Kris, passed away from complications due to a stroke on Tuesday, October 30, 2018. She was in her own home at Carolina Meadows in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, surrounded by family and her beloved, spoiled cat, Abbey.  

Born on November 26, 1933, to Kirk and Berthe Shivell, Dr. Huntington grew up in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and attended Duke University studying Psychology and Comparative Religion. Married to Lt. Colonel Raymond F. Huntington, Retired, for twenty-two years, she had five children, twelve grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.  

Dr. Huntington received her Ph.D in Early Childhood Development from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she worked as a research professor in UNC’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute for two decades. Dr. Huntington was briefly an advisor to the U.S. Congress on Family Legislative matters. 

A lifelong Democrat who believed in the power of the vote, Dr. Huntington manned the voting stations in her precinct well into her 80’s; she was also an active volunteer at the Chapel Hill Public Library.  Known for her intellectual rigor, wit and humor, warm welcome to all at her holiday table, and inability to suffer fools, gladly or otherwise.

She is survived by her sister Sandra Forden (Tim Forden), children Lynn Huntington-Meath (Jamie), Susan Spinelli (Nick), Stacy Payne, Tyler Huntington (Celeste), and grandchildren Meghan Mitchell (Brandon), Alexander Huntington-Meath, Zachary Huntington-Meath, Malcolm Huntington-Meath, Anthony Spinelli, Dominic Spinelli, Sarah Spinelli, Grace Payne, Will Payne, May Huntington, Zoe Huntington, and Ben Huntington.

In addition to her parents she was also preceded in death by her son, Ray Huntington, Jr.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.  The Huntington family is under the care of Walker’s Funeral Home of Chapel Hill.  www.walkersfuneralservice.com.