Kaylin Gillis Death, Obituary – Kay Farmer, who was deeply loved throughout her life as a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend to many, died away on November 3, 2022 at the age of 84 in the comfort of her own home, surrounded by the people who cared for and cherished her the most. In accordance with Kay’s wishes, there will be no funeral services held, and instead, a celebration of Kay’s life will take place in the month of December.
Kay “Georgia” Gillis was born January 2, 1938, in Fresno to Gareth and Phyllis Gillis who preceded her in death.
When Kay was skiing in Yosemite in 1955 at Badger Pass, she ran into the man she would spend the rest of her life with, Bob Farmer. It was love at first cup of hot chocolate. Kay and Bob later married on June 3, 1961, and soon after built their rural home at the end of Behymer in Clovis, affectionately known as “the farm.” It is on “the farm” where Kay and Bob reared their three children Robbie, Holly and Michael. Kay and Bob remained enthusiastic skiers with family excursions to Sun Valley and sailed together in various Santana regattas.
Kay and Bob were also cornerstones of the Huntington Lake community with other cabin and sailing buddies.
Kay received her high school diploma from Fresno and then continued her education at Fresno State, where she also received her degree. After graduating from Fresno State, Kay went on to pursue a career in teaching. She worked for a number of years at the Dry Creek elementary school in Clovis before retiring. Even after retirement Kay continued to teach as a substitute and serve in the community at the Holiday Boutique.
Because of her kind nature and willingness to help others, Kay won the hearts of everyone who had the opportunity to get to know her. Whether it is her dogged determination to mark everyone’s birthday in her calendar and send birthday greetings on time or her warm and sincere handwritten thank-you cards, she never misses a chance to show her appreciation. Kay was unquestionably the hostess with the mostest and was always active in social occasions. She was also a force to deal with regardless of the occasion.
The holidays were especially memorable at “the farm” thanks to the table decorations from the Holiday Boutique that she had purchased (of course, all of them were donated to charity) and her ability to cook, converse, and clean while making sure that everyone else’s needs were met before she sat down to participate in any celebrations. Kay was typically the last person to be seated, but she was also the first person to advise everyone else to remain seated since she would clean up later, which meant that she stayed up well into the early morning hours.
She was a cheerleading parent, motocross mom, soccer mom, and motocross mom in addition to being a tutor and a life coach for her family. She was a continual source of love and inspiration for her family. Kay was known as “mom” by more people than only her own three children. When she was out and about in Clovis, many of her old students from Dry Creek High School would come up to her to say hello and express their gratitude. Additionally, Kay served as a role model for her grandkids, who affectionately referred to her as Noni. For a number of summers, she cared for her grandchildren by hosting “Noni’s Camp” in the cabin that she owned on Huntington Lake.
She adored her grandchildren and would do anything for them. Selflessness is the most important aspect of Kay’s character, and she has a lot of it. Her continuous capacity to give more to others than she received in return, particularly in the form of love, particularly to people in her life who were important to her. Everyone who knew Kay will look back on her life with fondness and remember her with much affection.
Therefore, when you hear thunder or see rain (Kay’s favorite mountain weather), raise a glass to the heavens and raise a toast to a lovely lady and a life that will be remembered forever.