Stephan Paul Gillespie

Young men and women met and married during World War II, as did the parents of Stephan Paul Gillespie. Working for Pan America Airways in New York City, Helen Kovzlove and Paul F. Gillespie met there in 1941. She ensured the vital war cargoes that went on the planes and he fixed the Yankee Clipper’s flight instruments. They married.

Steve was born in Flushing, N. Y. December 27, 1943 and by the end of the war, San Diego beckoned with great opportunities for aircraft technicians. The Gillespie’s first moved to a Park Boulevard apartment, then relatives offered a stay in La Mesa while Steve’s dad built a house overlooking 52nd St. and University Ave. With his little pals, he ‘helped’ the cowboys tend their cattle on the vast open spaces across the street on University Ave. He and his friends attended Euclid Elementary School until he reached 4th grade, then his family returned to the east to Elmhurst N.Y. long enough to make great memories of winter snow fun and summer hurricanes. The family returned west to Santa Monica, a community just north of L.A. and after a brief stay there, returned, this time permanently to Sa Diego. Steve attended there St. Augustine High School graduating class valedictorian in 1961.

On a lark that summer before college he got a big part at the Old Globe Shakespeare Theatre in Balboa Park. He also got to play in a musical at the now closed Starlight Opera. What great fun for him before the grim business of college, since the next 6 years would be spent, first at San Diego State University (now UCSD) then at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy degree. Then followed a wonderful 36 year career with Savon Drugs. Seventeen years at Savon Spring Valley, followed by eight years at Savon National City. The remaining eleven years were divided between three 24-hours Savons, in North Park, Chula Vista, Hillcrest, as their graveyard pharmacist. At age 60, Steve’s white jacket came off forever, as he retired to the best adventure yet.

Traveling to America’s great 19th century hotels, New York’s Mohonk, Michigan’s Grand Mackinac Island Hotel, then going down the Mississippi River like Mark Twain on a huge paddle wheel boat, staying at Nashville’s great glass enclosed Gaylord Hotel to see the Grand Ole Opry. Surfer like, Steve got to ride the front edge of the huge wave that was the baby boom generation. What a great ride it was for him.