On Feb. 28, Gabriele Gandal of Chevy Chase, MD passed away peacefully following a decade-long journey with Alzheimer’s disease. Even in her final days, Gaby maintained humor and dignity — surrounded by the love of her family and deeply committed caregivers.
Gaby was born in Bielefeld, Germany in 1934, the daughter of a prominent rabbi. She, her late sister Suzanne, and her parents fled Nazi Germany at the outset of the Holocaust with little more than their lives and the hope of a new beginning in the United States. She grew up in Cleveland, Ohio before spending her entire adult life in the Washington, D.C., area.
After initially working on Capitol Hill and in the JFK White House, Gaby moved to Chevy Chase and became a pillar of her community. The founder and president of Gandal & Associates Realty, she helped generations of families find homes and build their lives in the greater Washington region. Her other leadership roles included serving as long-time chair of the Rollingwood Citizens Association, board member of the nonprofit Chevy Chase At Home and precinct captain for the Montgomery County Board of Elections. Gaby was also a strong advocate of the local public schools and served as president of the PTSA.
Gaby’s most cherished roles were those of mother and grandmother. Her love and devotion to her children were boundless and she was a fixture in the lives of her five grandchildren. A role model in so many ways, Gaby’s presence will be missed by all who loved her.
Gaby is survived by her sons Jonathan and Matthew; her daughters-in-law Lisa and Trina; and her beloved grandchildren Alexander, Alexis, Jessica, Nick and Hannah. Contributions may be made in Gaby’s honor to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which houses a collection of her family’s historical artifacts. Professional services entrusted to Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care.