Memorial Page - Deceased

In Memorial - Gretchen Brunner Gillis

Deceased  August 09, 1982

       Gretchen was born February 3, 1946 in LaJolla, California. For the first 12 years of her life she lived in Argentina, Mexico and Peru. She returned to the states in 1958. In high school she was very active in sports and all school activities. She was president of the Student Council. After High School she worked at Strong Memorial Hosp in Rochester as a laboratory technician. She moved to Tucson in 1973 and attended, graduated from Pima College in respiratory therapy. Her Aunt Analda introduced her to Robert Gillies in 1973.  They were married in 1974 and Gretchen worked as a Resp. therapist at University, St Joseph's and Kino Community Hospitals. In October of 1980 Gretchen and her husband Robert moved to Burbank, Ca. where she worked at Cedar Sinai Hosp as a Resp therapist. If Gretchen Gillies loved you, you KNEW she loved you. If she knew you, she probable loved you. If you did not love Gretchen, you did not know her. Gretchen was good and loving and joyful but in an exuberant, even offensive style that will all remember. We are not feeling the gentle absence of a passive loving force, but the abrupt, sudden loss of an active vital part of our lives. Gretchen never did anything passively. Gretchen was a concerned and loving daughter. She cared enough to bully and cajole her mother and father into taking care of themselves. She was her sister Kathy's best friend, counselor. Always ready to give of herself, her time and her possessions. As a loving wife, she was the tender force behind her husband, guiding him through his career, giving him daily assistance with vigor's of work and lift 's problems. She was generous with her time, her love, and whatever she had. As a child her toys were willingly given for all to share and as an adult she gave of herself.  As a friend, Gretchen could be maddening. She would look at you with fire in her eyes and state her opinion in no uncertain terms.  You couldn't stay mad long because you knew that she did it out of love and kindness. You could be mad at Gretchen but you couldn't stay mad and she could and would get mat at you with fire in her eyes and fierce determination that would melt away more quickly than it came. She was a person of action. If you were down and depressed, she'd try to get you and doing something about it. One of Gretchen's greatest hopes and dreams came true in March when she gave birth to her son David. Never was she happier that when she was caring for her baby.  All her life Gretchen had loved children and her own child filled her life with joy. Written by her family, Shared by Rev. Robert Dulaney, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

Return to Class Listing

. .

. .