Carolyn Waite Gill passed away on July 4, 2024 surrounded by her family at the beautiful age of 95. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend to many.

Carolyn was born in Yreka, California on April 7, 1929 to Edwin Charles Waite and Amanda Seran Waite.

Carolyn’s father Edwin was an engineer with the California State Highways. As he gained promotions, the family moved around California taking them to Sacramento. With another job promotion, to the head of California Highways for the Central Coast, the family moved to San Luis Obispo, where Carolyn and her three sisters completed high school.

The Waite girls made quite a stir when they arrived at San Luis Obispo High School because they were all so beautiful. The high school student body president, Harold Edward Gill, took notice, and soon Harold and Carolyn were high school sweethearts.

They matriculated to Cal Poly SLO, where Carolyn and sister Amanda became Cal Poly Royal Princesses.

A year later, Harold joined the Navy to help his country with the war effort in World War II. Upon his return Harold headed to the University of California at Berkeley (Cal). He and Carolyn decided to marry, and in 1950 were married in Sacramento, where Carolyn’s family now lived.

Then Carolyn joined Harold in Berkeley and was admitted to Cal, though soon after the stork arrived and their first child Mark Charles Gill was born.

At the time they were living in a one-bedroom apartment near UC Berkeley. Even though the rest of the apartments were inhabited by students, the landlady really liked Carolyn and Mark, so she let them stay. Two years later, Timothy Randall Gill was born, and the landlady said it was time to go.

They moved over the hill to Lafayette, and it was here Amanda Gill was born, soon followed by her sister Melissa Gill.

By this time, with the help of the G.I. Bill. Carolyn and Harold were able to come up with a down-payment and a $4,000 mortgage to buy a lovely home in Lafayette.

The family flourished in this tight-knit community filled with kids along with their college educated young parents. As a group they created numerous fun events, which included writing and filming a movie. A wonderful place for the children to grow up.

A favorite for the Gill family was camping trips in the redwoods and the Sierra Mountains often with families from the Lafayette neighborhood. On these trips, Carolyn always brought a giant container of homemade chocolate chip cookies, which never lasted the entire trip.

In 1969, the Gill family moved to Santa Barbara, though they remained close with their Lafayette friends, meeting many summers at Avila Beach. Ultimately, the Avila trips were just the moms, who remained close friends the rest of their lives.

In 1972, Carolyn became the administrative assistant to Russell Hargraves, the recreation supervisor of senior programs with Santa Barbara Recreation Department. When Russ passed away, Carolyn was promoted to the position of senior recreation supervisor, a job she held for nearly 20 years.

Carolyn was well regarded and loved by the members who attended the programs she and her team created. She also helped organize the Athletic Round Table, held at Harry’s Plaza Bar & Grill.

Carolyn continued the tradition created by Russ of planning trips all over the world, creating them for the members of the Senior Recreation Department programs. They were a huge hit.

Carolyn took the seniors club on one of the first trips approved for China, at a time when passports were still stamped while entering and departing each country. Carolyn created tours to 20+ countries, escorting each one.

In addition, there were bus tours throughout the states, as well as river and ocean cruises. She probably escorted more than 1,000 seniors during her time at the Santa Barbara Recreation Department.

Over the years, Carolyn shared some very interesting stories about the exciting times on tour, and the travails of traveling with groups.

While working as recreation supervisor she completed a degree in gerontology at USC, striving to learn and proactively grow her programs to be cutting edge for her senior members.

Following her years with the Recreation Department, Carolyn moved to Arroyo Grande, where two of her three sisters lived. She now had the time to dedicate to her many interests, including spending time with her sisters, her family and friends, gardening, reading, and knitting beautiful sweaters.

She was a voracious reader finishing several books a week. Her hours in the garden produced a variety of trees, shrubs, flowers, and a bumper crop of tomatoes each year. These she always shared with family and friends.

She continued to enjoy her piano, which she had played since she was eight years old. Classical composers were her favorite. She could sight-read and play anything given to her with a little practice.

In 2022, Carolyn returned to Santa Barbara to be closer to her daughter Melissa, who was always there for her; and her son Tim, who also lived in Santa Barbara, and was close.

Carolyn is survived by Mark (Susan Coleman), Tim (Laura Wilkinson), Melissa (Steve Hausz); granddaughters Lucia (Dillion Kiel), Sarah (Max Radon), Victoria (Chris Murillo); grandchildren; nieces; nephews, and many friends.

She was predeceased by her daughter Amanda; sisters Anne and Amanda; and her ex-husband Harold Her eldest sister Mariel passed away just six days after Carolyn.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to your favorite organization, such as the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens.