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Gayle BURNS

Female 1938 - 2012  (73 years)


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  • Name Gayle BURNS 
    Birth 2 Sep 1938  Redford Twp, Wayne County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Death 19 May 2012  Contra Costa County, California Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Lafayette, Contra Costa County, California Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • George n. Bentley High School, Livonia, Michigan, class of 1955.

      Gayle B. Uilkema
      Resident of Lafayette

      In the early morning hours of May 19, 2012, Gayle finally found peace after a valiant fight against ovarian cancer.
      Gayle was born and raised in Detroit, MI. At the age of 16, on a full scholarship, Gayle attended the University of Michigan and became active in the Student Union and in her sorority, Phi Mu.

      After a brief residence in Washington D.C., Gayle came to California in the early 1960's and moved to Oakland, CA, where she taught typing and shorthand at Oakland Technical High School.

      In the mid-1960's, Gayle moved to Contra Costa County, first residing in Moraga, having her daughter Lynn, and becoming active in AAUW. In the early 1970's Gayle had her daughter Sharon and soon thereafter moved to her dream home in Lafayette, where she lived ever since.

      Dedicated mother that she was, Gayle became active on the Lafayette Park and Recreation Commission in an effort to establish local activities for her children. This served as a launch pad for her ultimate calling: local politics. Gayle's passion and dedication to the community was reflected in her years of public service, which included nineteen years on the Lafayette City Council and 4 terms as Mayor of Lafayette. While serving on the Lafayette City Council, Gayle also obtained a Masters in Public Administration from Cal State Hayward, and ultimately taught the same subject at UC Berkeley Extension, Cal State East Bay and JFK University. She was later elected to four terms on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, providing dedicated representation to District 2.

      Gayle loved Lafayette and Contra Costa County, and found great joy and fulfillment in serving her community. She remained dedicated to Contra Costa County until the end, working diligently from her home even as her disease progressed.

      A devout Catholic, Gayle served as one of the first female lectors in the San Francisco Bay Area, and was ordained as a lay minister at Saint Monica's in Moraga and later at Saint Perpetua's in Lafayette. In her rare spare time, Gayle loved working in her garden and completing household projects at her beloved home in Lafayette.

      Gayle is survived by her daughters Lynn and Sharon, and her grandchildren Natalie, Nicholas and Henry, her sons-in-law Damien and Curtiss, and her brother Larry.
    Person ID I31292  Don Carlson's Tree
    Last Modified 1 Nov 2022 

    Father Joseph A BURNS,   b. 11 Jul 1907, Minto, Walsh County, North Dakota Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 Feb 1977, Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 69 years) 
    Mother Pearl Rose RASMUSSEN,   b. 17 Jan 1912, River Rouge, Wayne County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Oct 1971, Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 59 years) 
    Marriage 22 Nov 1934  Wayne County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F6334  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family UILKEMA 
    Family ID F21671  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 1 Nov 2022