Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Gerrie Gillette loved reading mystery novels, loved her family and looked toward life with a positive attitude. Born in 1933 to Walter and Helen Gillette, Gerrie was an amazing gift. It was the time of the Depression and life was difficult. But, Gerrie's parents always looked at the positives. The famous writers of the day were Isadora Duncan, James Thurber, and Ernest Hemingway. Three years after Gerrie's birth, the family welcomed the birth of second daughter, Barbara. Their mother read stories to the girls, giving them a great appreciation for books. The children spent their early childhood on the ranch in Merced. They had animals, but primarily they raised cotton. The girls didn't have to help, but they would help pick cotton for fun. When war broke out, Gerrie's father got a job with Lockheed and the family moved back to Los Angeles in 1941. They found a wonderful home in North Hollywood. It was the house where Gerrie would live for the rest of her life.

Gerrie's parents struggled to make the best of life, despite the fact that it was war time. When there were air raids and the sirens went off, they turned off the lights and went to the hallway to make popcorn with a popper that had a hand crank. Their parents would use flashlights or candles by which the family played cards or checkers in the hallway until the second siren sounded that all was clear. Most importantly, they always read books that would soar their imagination. Gerrie's mother made sure to take the girls to the library regularly to check out books. The girls went to Sunday School and were raised with a basic Christian upbringing. Their father told them, "Church is where your heart is." They were raised to be cooperative and to choose the optimistic side of life. Their mother had a great influence on them to see the glass as always half full, not half empty.

There were huge family gatherings over the years, because their mother's family was part of the Santa Maria family, who were the first Europeans to settle in Topanga. Santa Maria Road was named after them in the Topanga area. Hundreds of family members would gather for annual celebrations. Gerrie graduated from North Hollywood High School in 1951 and went on to earn an AA degree in Bookkeeping from Valley College. She landed a job quickly at Bekins Van and Storage as a Bookkeeper. A few years later, after Barbara graduated from Valley College, the two girls went on a two week vacation to Mexico. When they returned, Barbara landed a job as a secretary at NBC Studios. A few months later, Gerrie moved over to an accounting job at NBC as well. Gerrie would spend the next 30 years dedicated to her job at NBC.

Life threw her some curves over the years. Gerrie's first two fiance's were lost before the weddings. The first died in an apartment fire while the second fiance disappeared and was never heard from again. With the trauma of these two events, Gerrie let a few years go by. She always had her job, her family, and her books to keep her company. Then, Barbara's friend Gayle introduced Gerrie to a special man named Ron. He was soon her companion and they would spend the next 23 years together. They went out to the movies, to dinners, and traveled around California, the western states, Canada, and even took Gerrie's mother to Hawaii for a special trip. Gerrie's spirit would be tested again when she and Ron were in a serious car accident by Big Sur. But, Gerrie taught us again that the spirit is a strong foundation to our lives. She always focused on the good and moved forward no matter what. She inspired others, because she lived life as best she could despite setbacks.

The best part of Gerrie's life was always her family. There was a lot of laughter because her heart was her family. With her strength of spirit, she believed in God and she believed in heaven. She was never alone because she was surrounded by the comfort of her home which was filled with books she loved. Her favorite authors were Mary Higgins Clark, Nora Roberts, and Jonathan Kellerman among others. She belonged to Reader's Digest and the Book Club. Gerrie will be remembered for her kindness, her laughter, and her positive outlook. The final chapter of life came to a quiet close in the house she loved.

Memorial donations can be made to the American Heart Association , UCLA Cancer Fund or the Multiple Sclerosis Society .