Cheryl Lena Gillpatrick

Cheryl Lena Gillpatrick, loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully on March 23rd, 2022 in Columbia, Maryland. Cheryl was born on July 21, 1945, in San Jose, California and raised by Lloyd and Florence Williams. As a child, Cheryl was an avid animal lover and was given a horse by her parents when she was eleven. She was so gifted in her riding abilities that as a teen she was named the “Queen of the Rodeo” at The California State Fair. After Graduating from Willow Glen High School in 1963, Cheryl received her BA in Math Education from San Jose State University and taught Math at her former high school. She went on to obtain her MA in Economics from San Jose State University and worked as a Senior Associate Programmer for IBM for 16 years, leading teams in multiple states. Cheryl met her husband of 37 years Kenneth Gillpatrick Jr, at a dance that she attended with her cousin, Randy Dove. Cheryl and Kenneth were married on August 1, 1970. Together, they had two sons, Brian James Gillpatrick and David Lloyd Gillpatrick. The family relocated to Loveland, Colorado in 1993 and Cheryl began working as a Math teacher in Colorado. In 2006 she received the Edith May Sliffe Award for teaching Junior High School Mathematics, she has taught math at the junior high, high school and college levels; and even led students on trips to Europe. Cheryl was very involved with Zion Lutheran Church in Loveland, volunteering with Steven Ministry and playing in the bells choir. She continued to love animals throughout her life, often entering dogs in agility and skill competitions. She also enjoyed reading, travel and Sudoku Puzzles.

Cheryl was a loving caretaker of her family, caring for her husband Kenneth until his passing in 2017. In 2018, Cheryl developed Alzheimer’s Disease and moved to Maryland to be closer to her son, David Gillpatrick and his family. Cheryl became a grandmother to Miss Cameran James Gillpatrick in April 2021. Cameran already shares many of Cheryl's attributes, particularly her big blue eyes and love of all animals. Cheryl is survived by her son David Gillpatrick(wife: Eloise Grose); Granddaughter, Cameran James Gillpatrick; sister, Lind Itsen; Father in-law, Kenneth W Gillpatrick Sr; Sisters in-law, Jean Gillpatrick and Linda Austed and Cousin, Randy Dove. She is preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth W Gillpatrick Sr and her son, Brian James Gillpatrick. Services will be held on Monday, April 18, 2022 at Oak Hill Cemetery in San Jose, California.