AnonymousMrs. Doris J. Gilman, age 76, of Santa Barbara, California, passed away Saturday morning, August 10, 2019, at Valle Verde Health Center due to complications from her second stroke in late May.
She was born September 5, 1942, in Redlands, California, to her late parents, Lewis and Dorothy Hanson. Doris was preceded in death by her brother, Gerald Hanson, in 2013.
After growing up in Redlands, Doris married the love of her life, Gordon, on July 22, 1961. They promptly moved to Santa Barbara and continued to live and raise a family in the same house they purchased in 1963.
Throughout her life, Doris was active in church and Bible Study Fellowship (BSF), making many dear friends over the years. She enjoyed cooking and gardening, and was an accomplished seamstress, even donating her skills for many years to the Royal Family Kids Camp, making beautiful quilts for countless local children. She was also active in the Coastal Quilters Guild for many years. Doris worked in several medical facilities as a receptionist and in medical records and billing.
Doris took great pride in her family and enjoyed travelling the world with Gordon. When her sons were young, she volunteered as a Den Mother with Cub Scouts and as they got older, she enjoyed attending numerous band performances and musicals at La Colina Junior High and San Marcos High School. And when grandchildren arrived, she never missed a performance, a recital, or a graduation.
Doris is survived by her husband, Gordon, and by her two sons and daughters-in-law, Mike Gilman and Kari Summerour of Olympia, Washington, and Don and Deana Gilman of Santa Barbara, California.
Arguably born to be a grandmother, Doris is also survived by her three grandchildren, Emily, Brianna, and Adam Gilman, all from Santa Barbara.
Gordon and the family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Doris’ loving caregivers, Carmen, Kiera, and Juana, who became part of the Gilman family over the past four years, and to the incredible staff at Valle Verde Health Center who simply couldn’t have done more for Doris and her family.
A celebration of Doris’ life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 31, 2019, at Santa Barbara Community Church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial gifts may be made to Royal Family Kids Camp Quilters, P.O. Box 8614, Goleta, CA 93118.
Arrangements entrusted to Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapels.
