Ann Gilmore was born July 8, 1933 to Hughie and Hallie Mae Bloodsworth in Roswell, NM. She graduated from High School in Ruidoso, NM and attended New Mexico Western University in Silver City, NM, in 1951 - 53, where she met her husband, James E. (Gene) Gilmore. They were married in 1953 and Ann worked for several years as a book keeper, bank teller, and elementary school teacher in order to help with the family finances while her husband, Gene, attended graduate school at Oregon State College and established his career after graduation with the U. S. Department of Agriculture. She became a full time homemaker with the arrival of their son, Guy, in 1961 and their daughter, Nancy, in 1963. She was a talented homemaker and enjoyed participating as a booster in organized activities with her children. She served as a Cub Scout den mother in the 1960s, and was a prime organizer and director in baton twirling activities in the Central San Joaquin Valley for several years in the 1970s and early 80s. She was also instrumental in helping her son, Guy, establish a Fresno screen printing business, U. S. Arts, in the early to mid 1980s.
Her husband's position with the USDA required the family to relocate to several areas around the United States beginning in Whittier and Riverside, CA, then Beltsville, MD (in the Washington, D.C. area), Fresno, CA, and finally Honolulu, HI. While living in Maryland, Ann decided to continue her education at Bowie State College and in 1972 earned her B.A. degree in Elementary Education. She taught several elementary school grades both in California and Maryland.
Upon her husband's retirement in Hawaii in 1990, the couple returned to the Fresno area and made their home in Clovis, where they have resided since that time. In their retirement years, Ann and her husband enjoyed square and round dance activities as a hobby. They were known locally and traveled rather extensively in California and Arizona in pursuit of their hobby. They also enjoyed sightseeing travel to different parts of the country, including Alaska, Canada, and abroad to the European continent and the United Kingdom. Both were members of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Clovis.
Mrs. Gilmore was preceded in death by her parents, her son, Guy, who died in 2005, and by a sister, Jo Ella Brown, of Houston, TX, who died in 2002.
She is survived by her husband, James "Gene" Gilmore; her daughter, Nancy Gilmore-Crowley, son-in-law, Steve Crowley, and grandsons Kyle Crowley, who reside in Clovis, as well as grandson Nick Gilmore, wife Melissa, and granddaughter Jayden, who reside in Boise, Idaho. Also, by her niece, Linda Harris, and nephews, Jimmy and Ronnie Brown, all of Houston, TX.
The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Cedarbrook and Around the Clock Care for all the loving care they gave Ann.
