UKIAH, Calif. – Gail Ehmann was a delightful woman with a truly lovely smile who lit up every room she entered.

As the Ehmann family’s beautiful and elegant matriarch, she cherished her roles as wife, mother, grandmother and friend.

Sadly, she passed away earlier this year, but she will always be remembered by those who knew and loved her.

Gail Ehmann was an avid believer in supporting children and providing them every opportunity to be successful.

Reading was an integral part of her daily life, and she and husband Carl read to their children and grandchildren at every opportunity.

The Ehmann family and her dear Ga-Ga Girls (a group of childhood girlfriends) decided that a long-term “adopt a fifth grader” award in Gail Ehmann's name would be an ideal way to honor her and keep her memory alive.

Each year for the next 10 years, the long-term program will provide a “Gail Ehmann Adopt A Fifth-Grader Award” to a deserving fifth-grade recipient from Mendocino or Lake County.

When those 10 students graduate from high school, a $1,000 scholarship to attend Mendocino College will be waiting for them. 

The scholarship funding will help students pay for tuition and textbooks, and these resources are what students need most to be successful. 

Gail and Carl Ehmann are the proud parents of five children, with 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

For more information about the Mendocino College Foundation, call 707-467-1018 or visit http://foundation.mendocino.edu .

Katie Fairbairn is executive director of the Mendocino College Foundation.