Gail Midori Matsui, 53 years of age, passed away comfortably at Hospice House of San Joaquin in Stockton, California. The first of three children for Eddie and Helen Matsui, Gail was born in Highland Park, Michigan. She is survived by her brother William Matsui, her sister Linda Matsui, and numerous friends and family from near and far.

Gail and her family moved to California at an early age. She maintained a 4.0 grade point average throughout her school years and was awarded multiple scholarships as a high school and college student. After graduating from Manteca High School and San Joaquin Delta College, she went on to Art Center College of Design as a photography major. For five summers she was a park aid and interpretative guide in Yosemite National Park. After several years of working in local photography studios, she opened her own business, Gail Matsui Photography, in 1992. She earned the title of Certified Professional Photographer with the Professional Photographers Association of America. She was a past president of the French Camp chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League. She photographed the participants and then helped design and produce several of the books in the JACL/CSU Sacramento Oral History project. Along with being a commercial photographer, Gail was a talented and productive fine artist in multiple mediums. She won numerous awards and professional recognitions over the course of her career. She took great pleasure in rescuing and caring for animals.

Gail was a caring, kind, and thoughtful friend. She will be remembered and very much missed by those who knew her. A memorial service and Celebration of Life will be held in the chapel at Park View Cemetery on French Camp Road in Manteca on September 25th at 1:00 p.m. Private interment will occur at a later date.

Donations may be made to Hospice of San Joaquin in Gail’s memory. The address is 3888 Pacific Ave., Stockton, CA 95204