A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, November 15, at 2:00 pm at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (2001 NW Blvd, Columbus, 43212). The family will receive guests from 3:00-5:00 pm at the church and all are invited to enjoy her favorite Graeters’ Ice Cream. The committal of ashes for family and extended family will be on her birthday, November 16, at her Apple Valley home at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Buckeye Clinic in South Sudan: buckeyeclinic.org/donate

The Obituary

Gail Elise (Michalsen) Svendsen, of Columbus, OH, passed away peacefully on October 13, 2025, at age 82.

Born in Chicago, IL in 1942 to Roy and Florence Michalsen, Gail was the oldest of three children. She attended Maine Township High School and earned a degree in biology at North Park College in Chicago. She worked as an editor for the American Medical Association, and later for Ohio State University with their first electron microscope. 

Her husband, Dale, of 59 years was the love of her life. They moved to Columbus, Ohio when he was in medical school and started a family. Her family was her biggest joy, and she was an active part of all of their lives. She was a proud mother and “Mormor,” attending countless games, musicals, and concerts for her children and grandchildren.

She moved from her career to be a stay-at-home mom where she also pursued her passion for arts and crafts. One of her favorites was knitting where she created many items from Norwegian sweaters to hats for every member of the family. She also loved to cross stitch, create hardanger embroidery, Norwegian picture weaving, hand-painted folk art, and lace. She was an expert seamstress who made wedding dresses, quilts, Scandinavian folk dress Bunads, and smocked dresses for her children. “All Strung Out” was her jewelry business and she shared many of her creations with her friends and family. (Examples will be on display at the church.)

Gail was a proud member of the Scandinavian Club of Columbus for over 45 years. She cherished her involvement with Children’s Hospital Twig 53 and the Starling-Ohio Medical and Dental Scholarship Program. As a long-time member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, she was involved in many ministries.

Gail is survived by her husband, Dale Svendsen, M.D.; her children Margot (Pete) Dehn, Kirsten Svendsen, and Peter (Ana) Svendsen; her grandchildren Margot, Erika, Yann, Joseph, Pablo, Annelise, Katrina, and Malou; and siblings Christine Hopkins and Tom Michalsen.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Buckeye Clinic in South Sudan: buckeyeclinic.org/donate