Edward Gillette's Obituary
Ed Gillette was born on October 26, 1955, in Galesburg, Illinois. He is survived by his wife, Jenny, of 43 years; daughter, Jessica; son, Stephen; son-in-law, Joe; daughter-in-law, Miranda; grandchildren, Theo, Isla, Mackenzie, and Madison; his sister, Cindy Nichols, and brother-in-law, Ron Nichols.
At ten years old, he traveled by train from Illinois to California, which would be his home for the rest of his life. Ed had many fond memories of growing up in California, and frequently entertained his children with his tales of working on a chicken ranch, picking flowers at his grandmother’s flower farm, and exploring the hills of Rainbow on his bike. Ed attended Fallbrook High School where he excelled in football, set school weightlifting records, and was selected as homecoming king.
After high school, he began working at Walker Scott, a department store in Escondido, where he met Jennifer Smith. They married in 1980, and continued living in Escondido where they raised a daughter, Jessica Joy, and a son Stephen Edward. Professionally, Ed worked in management in retail and manufacturing. He continued his education through Coleman College, and eventually managed computer support call centers for Gateway Computers and Hewlett Packard across the United States, Canada, and India
Ed took those management skills to youth sports, where he coached numerous softball, baseball, and soccer teams to many successful seasons. Ed did not only coach his players on how to play the sport, but he also worked hard to develop his athletes as people. He inspired a strong work ethic and sportsmanship in his players, and he cherished this time with his children. His son, Stephen, continued to play baseball through college, drawing upon the lessons from his time in youth baseball and parlayed those lessons into a career in public service as a San Diego City firefighter.
Ed was a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather. Beginning in 2007, Ed faced difficult heath challenges, but continued to enjoy time with his family. This last year was filled with trips to Safari Park, Disneyland, and SeaWorld with his grandchildren. Ed will be remembered for his steadfast love for his wife, Jenny, patience in the face of challenges, and his ability to show his deep love for his children and grandchildren with just a few words.
In lieu of flowers please donate to San Pasqual athletics in Ed’s name. You can either donate via the Venmo link below or by sending a check made out to SPHS Booster Club at the following address:
San Pasqual Athletics
3300 Bear Valley Parkway
Escondido, CA 92025
Venmo: @SPHS_ABC
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