Charles Robert Gill

Another member of the Greatest Generation has left us. Charles Robert Gill, a third generation California farmer, passed on at his home in Camarillo, surrounded by family, on Wednesday, August 25, 2010. He was 94 years old. Bob was born to Charles and Olga Gill on July 10, 1916 in Oxnard, California at Mrs. Carpenter Birthing Center. He grew up in Santa Paula on the family ranch on Telegraph Road with his brother Elton and sister Berenice.

Like all of his generation, Bob was shaped by the great events of his time – the Great Depression and World War II. But he was also shaped by events closer to home such as the 1928 collapse of the St. Francis Dam, which flooded the Santa Clara Valley and killed over 400 people.

He graduated from Santa Paula High School in 1934 where he had a lead in the senior play “Seven Keys to Baldpate”, participated in basket ball, football and track. He attended Ventura Jr. College where he held the speed record for the 2-mile run for many years.

Bob moved on to UC Davis in the fall of '35 to follow the family tradition of farming and received a 2 year degree in Agriculture.

In 1937 he went to work in the Saticoy Bean warehouse and later at Fruit Growers Lab in Santa Paula as a field man. Bob loved life and enjoyed every moment with his life long friends Jerry Sweetland, Bob Crotty and Bob Powell.

Bob joined the National Guard in the fall of 1940 and in 1941 he joined the Army. He was sent over seas in WWII and followed all of the big battles such as D-Day and the liberation of the Birkenau death camp, making sure communications were established. He received the Bronze Medal of Honor for his valor and was honorably discharged as a Major Sergeant on October 25, 1945.

In the spring of 1942, while on leave in Yakima, Washington, he had a blind date with “the best looking woman he'd ever seen”. After his discharge he married that date, Mary Etta Evered, in June of 1946. The pair began their married life in Oxnard, California where Bob began a career of managing farmland. The couple raised 3 children there, Laura, Paula and Marietta. In 1971, after a long battle with leukemia, Bob lost his true love Mary Etta and continued raising his 3 girls alone. He vowed not to remarry until the last of his three girls were married.

In 1975, Bob started his own business, with his right hand man (foreman) Katsumi Takaguma. Bob Gill Farms was a full cycle agriculture endeavor which took produce from seed all the way through harvest, packaging and distribution. He grew lima beans, tomatoes, sugar beets, broccoli, celery and green beans among many other vegetables. He retired in1986 after more than 60 years of farming the Oxnard plain.

Being the inquisitive soul he was, he immediately took classes in fly fishing, began an avid career of bird watching, and married his second wife Rose. They spent many years traveling with their fifth-wheel to beautiful locations throughout the United States and even traveled to every National and American League baseball field and brought home a hat from every single game. He was a pioneer jogger starting in the 70’s and continuing running and then walking throughout his life. He was one of the oldest participants in the “Bay-To-Breakers” run in San Francisco.

Bob was a thoughtful, kind, giving Grandpa to his many grandchildren whom he cherished beyond words. He took tutoring them in math very seriously, which always ended up at the ice cream parlor and also loved to watch a Dodger or Lakers game with them and tell them many of the stories he remembered. He was renowned for his recall and enthusiasm while continuing the art of story telling.

Bob Gill leaves behind his loving family Laura Gill, her children Nathan Balicki and his wife Genevieve, great-granddaughter Bella and Mary Etta Gill Balicki; Paula Gill and her children, Bob, Mary and Molly McGrath; and Marietta and Ace Powell and their children, Marietta Berenice, Noble IV and Mariah. He is also survived by step-daughters Jean Garry and her children, Paul, Laura, Peter and Mark and wife Debbie Romano; and Jo Rippert, her husband, John, daughters, Jennifer and husband Jamie Patterson, and great grand-son Charles and Danae Galati.

Gentleman Bob’s generous nature, honor and commitment to friends, family and country followed him throughout his life. We all treasured the experience of his wit, his wisdom and his unfailing respect for life. His love of a good story and raucous laugh will be missed by all.

A service will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 4, 2010 at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, Las Posas Road and Crestview Avenue in Camarillo.

Arrangments are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura. Condolences may be left at www.TedMayrFuneralHome.com.