Obituary for Patricia Charlene Borders-Gillett
Patricia Charlene Borders-Gillett
June 24, 1944 to September 23, 2019
Patricia (Trish, Trisha, Pat) was born in Fresno, California and passed away in Bakersfield California. The first child of Charles Burt and Rose (Conte) Burt, she is predeceased by her parents, her step father Goober Roark, sister Jay Bowen, brother-in-law Butch Bowen, brother Chuck Roark and grand-daughter Savannah. She is survived by husband Jack Gillett, daughter Jaime Borders, son Jason Borders, step sons John and Colonel Judson Gillett, step daughters Carrie Gillett and Kelly Shinn, grandsons Jared and Justin Borders, step grand-children, John IV, Lochland, Tanner, Peyton, Morgan, McKean, Davis and Keller Gillett, Ethan, Megan and Adam Shinn, sisters-in-law Leona Roark, Briah Jardin and Julia Gillett, and brother-in-law Patrick Gillett. She also leaves a large close knit family of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews.
As a young girl, the family moved to Needles, California where she attended local schools graduating from Needles High in 1962. She was a gifted majorette winning scores of twirling awards. She was the lead Majorette during all four years of high school and the only freshman ever to have earned that position. As a senior she was also chosen as Miss Needles. Those honors included a trip to Hollywood where she got to meet and have a photo session with actor Robert Conrad. Trish loved water skiing, beach parties on the Colorado River, and the beauty of the desert. However, she did not enjoy the dry windy climate and she wanted more out of life than a small railroad town could ever hope to deliver. Upon graduation she was offered a majorette scholarship to Arizona State University but she wanted to live near and among her Italian relatives. She moved to Fresno and only months later her mother and step father moved there as well. Trish attended beauty school and began working as a hairdresser. She fell in love with Ronald R. Borders of Sanger and they were married in June of 1965. Daughter Jaime came along in 1967 followed by son Jason in 1970. Now, hairdressing from home, she established a core group of loyal clients. In 1976 the family moved to Fresno where Trish continued hairdressing from home. Most of her Sanger clients drove the twenty odd miles and stayed with her. Tragedy struck in 1985 when Ron was taken in a traffic accident. Trish returned to school and began a long career in the medical field working first for Valley Medical Center then finally retiring from Kaiser. In 2003 Trish met another widow, Jack Gillett of Bakersfield. They fell in love and married in July 2004. Trish moved to Bakersfield and was able to enjoy many years of retirement and travel where Jack happily encouraged and indulged her passion for genealogy. Together, they extensively traveled the east coast, and southeastern states, in search of family records, Civil War battle fields and cemeteries where many of Trish’s relatives were buried.
Trish felt deeply connected with her ancestry on both sides of her family. Her work with “Find a Grave” concerning her own family led her to helping countless other people, including strangers, discover past family members. She loved putting real and virtual flowers on the graves of family members, friends and even random strangers. She helped many other people do the same. She was also founder of the Facebook Site “Memories of Needles Past and Present.” This site now includes hundreds of members who are beyond grateful for the monumental effort Trish put forth in reconnecting so many Needles residents. She was beyond thrilled at being called “grandma” and her only regret is that she couldn’t spend more time with her Fresno grandchildren. Trisha’s unexpected loss has been devastating to her family and large circle of friends and acquaintances.
Patricia Charlene Borders-Gillett
June 24, 1944 to September 23, 2019
Patricia (Trish, Trisha, Pat) was born in Fresno, California and passed away in Bakersfield California. The first child of Charles Burt and Rose (Conte) Burt, she is predeceased by her parents, her step father Goober Roark, sister Jay Bowen, brother-in-law Butch Bowen, brother Chuck Roark and grand-daughter Savannah. She is survived by husband Jack Gillett, daughter Jaime Borders, son Jason Borders, step sons John and Colonel Judson Gillett, step daughters Carrie Gillett and Kelly Shinn, grandsons Jared and Justin Borders, step grand-children, John IV, Lochland, Tanner, Peyton, Morgan, McKean, Davis and Keller Gillett, Ethan, Megan and Adam Shinn, sisters-in-law Leona Roark, Briah Jardin and Julia Gillett, and brother-in-law Patrick Gillett. She also leaves a large close knit family of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews.
As a young girl, the family moved to Needles, California where she attended local schools graduating from Needles High in 1962. She was a gifted majorette winning scores of twirling awards. She was the lead Majorette during all four years of high school and the only freshman ever to have earned that position. As a senior she was also chosen as Miss Needles. Those honors included a trip to Hollywood where she got to meet and have a photo session with actor Robert Conrad. Trish loved water skiing, beach parties on the Colorado River, and the beauty of the desert. However, she did not enjoy the dry windy climate and she wanted more out of life than a small railroad town could ever hope to deliver. Upon graduation she was offered a majorette scholarship to Arizona State University but she wanted to live near and among her Italian relatives. She moved to Fresno and only months later her mother and step father moved there as well. Trish attended beauty school and began working as a hairdresser. She fell in love with Ronald R. Borders of Sanger and they were married in June of 1965. Daughter Jaime came along in 1967 followed by son Jason in 1970. Now, hairdressing from home, she established a core group of loyal clients. In 1976 the family moved to Fresno where Trish continued hairdressing from home. Most of her Sanger clients drove the twenty odd miles and stayed with her. Tragedy struck in 1985 when Ron was taken in a traffic accident. Trish returned to school and began a long career in the medical field working first for Valley Medical Center then finally retiring from Kaiser. In 2003 Trish met another widow, Jack Gillett of Bakersfield. They fell in love and married in July 2004. Trish moved to Bakersfield and was able to enjoy many years of retirement and travel where Jack happily encouraged and indulged her passion for genealogy. Together, they extensively traveled the east coast, and southeastern states, in search of family records, Civil War battle fields and cemeteries where many of Trish’s relatives were buried.
Trish felt deeply connected with her ancestry on both sides of her family. Her work with “Find a Grave” concerning her own family led her to helping countless other people, including strangers, discover past family members. She loved putting real and virtual flowers on the graves of family members, friends and even random strangers. She helped many other people do the same. She was also founder of the Facebook Site “Memories of Needles Past and Present.” This site now includes hundreds of members who are beyond grateful for the monumental effort Trish put forth in reconnecting so many Needles residents. She was beyond thrilled at being called “grandma” and her only regret is that she couldn’t spend more time with her Fresno grandchildren. Trisha’s unexpected loss has been devastating to her family and large circle of friends and acquaintances.
Obituary for Patricia Charlene Borders-Gillett
Patricia Charlene Borders-Gillett
June 24, 1944 to September 23, 2019
Patricia (Trish, Trisha, Pat) was born in Fresno, California and passed away in Bakersfield California. The first child of Charles Burt and Rose (Conte) Burt, she is predeceased by her parents, her step father Goober Roark, sister Jay Bowen, brother-in-law Butch Bowen, brother Chuck Roark and grand-daughter Savannah. She is survived by husband Jack Gillett, daughter Jaime Borders, son Jason Borders, step sons John and Colonel Judson Gillett, step daughters Carrie Gillett and Kelly Shinn, grandsons Jared and Justin Borders, step grand-children, John IV, Lochland, Tanner, Peyton, Morgan, McKean, Davis and Keller Gillett, Ethan, Megan and Adam Shinn, sisters-in-law Leona Roark, Briah Jardin and Julia Gillett, and brother-in-law Patrick Gillett. She also leaves a large close knit family of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews.
As a young girl, the family moved to Needles, California where she attended local schools graduating from Needles High in 1962. She was a gifted majorette winning scores of twirling awards. She was the lead Majorette during all four years of high school and the only freshman ever to have earned that position. As a senior she was also chosen as Miss Needles. Those honors included a trip to Hollywood where she got to meet and have a photo session with actor Robert Conrad. Trish loved water skiing, beach parties on the Colorado River, and the beauty of the desert. However, she did not enjoy the dry windy climate and she wanted more out of life than a small railroad town could ever hope to deliver. Upon graduation she was offered a majorette scholarship to Arizona State University but she wanted to live near and among her Italian relatives. She moved to Fresno and only months later her mother and step father moved there as well. Trish attended beauty school and began working as a hairdresser. She fell in love with Ronald R. Borders of Sanger and they were married in June of 1965. Daughter Jaime came along in 1967 followed by son Jason in 1970. Now, hairdressing from home, she established a core group of loyal clients. In 1976 the family moved to Fresno where Trish continued hairdressing from home. Most of her Sanger clients drove the twenty odd miles and stayed with her. Tragedy struck in 1985 when Ron was taken in a traffic accident. Trish returned to school and began a long career in the medical field working first for Valley Medical Center then finally retiring from Kaiser. In 2003 Trish met another widow, Jack Gillett of Bakersfield. They fell in love and married in July 2004. Trish moved to Bakersfield and was able to enjoy many years of retirement and travel where Jack happily encouraged and indulged her passion for genealogy. Together, they extensively traveled the east coast, and southeastern states, in search of family records, Civil War battle fields and cemeteries where many of Trish’s relatives were buried.
Trish felt deeply connected with her ancestry on both sides of her family. Her work with “Find a Grave” concerning her own family led her to helping countless other people, including strangers, discover past family members. She loved putting real and virtual flowers on the graves of family members, friends and even random strangers. She helped many other people do the same. She was also founder of the Facebook Site “Memories of Needles Past and Present.” This site now includes hundreds of members who are beyond grateful for the monumental effort Trish put forth in reconnecting so many Needles residents. She was beyond thrilled at being called “grandma” and her only regret is that she couldn’t spend more time with her Fresno grandchildren. Trisha’s unexpected loss has been devastating to her family and large circle of friends and acquaintances.
Patricia Charlene Borders-Gillett
June 24, 1944 to September 23, 2019
Patricia (Trish, Trisha, Pat) was born in Fresno, California and passed away in Bakersfield California. The first child of Charles Burt and Rose (Conte) Burt, she is predeceased by her parents, her step father Goober Roark, sister Jay Bowen, brother-in-law Butch Bowen, brother Chuck Roark and grand-daughter Savannah. She is survived by husband Jack Gillett, daughter Jaime Borders, son Jason Borders, step sons John and Colonel Judson Gillett, step daughters Carrie Gillett and Kelly Shinn, grandsons Jared and Justin Borders, step grand-children, John IV, Lochland, Tanner, Peyton, Morgan, McKean, Davis and Keller Gillett, Ethan, Megan and Adam Shinn, sisters-in-law Leona Roark, Briah Jardin and Julia Gillett, and brother-in-law Patrick Gillett. She also leaves a large close knit family of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews.
As a young girl, the family moved to Needles, California where she attended local schools graduating from Needles High in 1962. She was a gifted majorette winning scores of twirling awards. She was the lead Majorette during all four years of high school and the only freshman ever to have earned that position. As a senior she was also chosen as Miss Needles. Those honors included a trip to Hollywood where she got to meet and have a photo session with actor Robert Conrad. Trish loved water skiing, beach parties on the Colorado River, and the beauty of the desert. However, she did not enjoy the dry windy climate and she wanted more out of life than a small railroad town could ever hope to deliver. Upon graduation she was offered a majorette scholarship to Arizona State University but she wanted to live near and among her Italian relatives. She moved to Fresno and only months later her mother and step father moved there as well. Trish attended beauty school and began working as a hairdresser. She fell in love with Ronald R. Borders of Sanger and they were married in June of 1965. Daughter Jaime came along in 1967 followed by son Jason in 1970. Now, hairdressing from home, she established a core group of loyal clients. In 1976 the family moved to Fresno where Trish continued hairdressing from home. Most of her Sanger clients drove the twenty odd miles and stayed with her. Tragedy struck in 1985 when Ron was taken in a traffic accident. Trish returned to school and began a long career in the medical field working first for Valley Medical Center then finally retiring from Kaiser. In 2003 Trish met another widow, Jack Gillett of Bakersfield. They fell in love and married in July 2004. Trish moved to Bakersfield and was able to enjoy many years of retirement and travel where Jack happily encouraged and indulged her passion for genealogy. Together, they extensively traveled the east coast, and southeastern states, in search of family records, Civil War battle fields and cemeteries where many of Trish’s relatives were buried.
Trish felt deeply connected with her ancestry on both sides of her family. Her work with “Find a Grave” concerning her own family led her to helping countless other people, including strangers, discover past family members. She loved putting real and virtual flowers on the graves of family members, friends and even random strangers. She helped many other people do the same. She was also founder of the Facebook Site “Memories of Needles Past and Present.” This site now includes hundreds of members who are beyond grateful for the monumental effort Trish put forth in reconnecting so many Needles residents. She was beyond thrilled at being called “grandma” and her only regret is that she couldn’t spend more time with her Fresno grandchildren. Trisha’s unexpected loss has been devastating to her family and large circle of friends and acquaintances.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
