Beverly Irene Jellison

(nee Dornoff) June 10, 1934 - July 5, 2019

Beverly Jellison beloved mother, grandmother, friend and colleague, peacefully passed away on the evening of July 5th, 2019 in San Marcos, CA at the age of 85.

Beve was born in Elmhurst, IL June 10, 1934 to Edward and Etta Dornoff. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor’s degree in Speech and English. She also studied art and piano. She later attended SDSU and USC and received a Master’s degree in Theater of Arts. Beverly married Fred “Fritz” Tait in 1958 and had two daughters. She started her long and dedicated teaching career in California. Her tenure at GUHSD started in 1971. She considered herself a Santana Sultan to the end. An award for Teacher of the Year at GUHSD in 1989 was well deserved. She was the English department chair and on more boards, committees, and councils than there is room to list here. She continued to be a teacher and a student throughout her life. Beve was a respected member of the teaching profession and truly loved teaching in the classroom. Field trips to museums and the theater were regularly scheduled as well. She was always proud of her students. As a teacher of English Literature, creative writing, and her beloved Shakespeare, she passionately brought literature to life for them.

Beverly married the love of her life, Walter T. Jellison in March 1972. She sentimentally saved every card he gave her. They traveled the world extensively, loving to take long cruises to many ports. They sailed to Catalina many times. They enjoyed sailing and the yacht club and all the social gatherings that ensued. They listened to classical music and opera as well as Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and all the crooners of their age. They read the paper and did the crossword puzzles together regularly. Walt would read to her while she cooked. She collected beautiful tea cups. She loved the works of Monet. Beve was very involved socially and philanthropically with Juniors, PEO, the Red Hat Society, and her bridge groups. Life long friendships were forged over card games into the wee hours of the night. She went to The Pops, and other times she would be reading the latest novel. She loved hot fudge sundaes.

She passes her love of reading, music, and ice cream to her children and grandchildren.

Her legacy lives on in the hundreds of lives she touched. She had a beautiful smile, a quick wit, and a genuine warmth. She will be missed greatly.

Beverly is survived by her two daughters, Janet Waugh and Nancy Carrillo and her husband Joey Carrillo, her stepchildren, Sue Jellison, Jennifer Jellison and her husband James Martin, Steve and his wife Lori Jellison, Walt and his wife Tina Jellison; her 12 grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and great-grandchildren. She was preceded by her husband, Walt, and her sister, Carolyn Bilyea.