Gayle Lee Reed

May 23, 1946 - June 23, 2013

Gayle Lee Reed passed away peacefully in her home on June 23, 2013 surrounded by those she loved. A life-long resident of the South Bay, Gayle Lee Wilt was born in Hermosa Beach on May 23, 1946. Gayle graduated from Mira Costa High School in 1964. She and her friends spent countless hours cruising Hermosa Avenue listening to the Beach Boys. Gayle worked for Pacific Telephone and its various other names for 37 years, starting as a night-shift operator and moving up to line assigner. She was fortunate to be able to retire at age 56 and spend her last years enjoying her family (especially her grand-daughters!), friends and neighbors. Gayle also spent her last few years volunteering at Torrance Memorial Hospital. Gayle loved to crochet. As part of her volunteer duties she crocheted baby blankets for the newborns at Torrance Memorial. A little piece of her lives on in those blankets given to people she didn't know.

Gayle is survived by her father Victor Kelly of Redondo Beach, daughter Gina (Frank) DeRosa of Hermosa Beach, stepdaughters Kim (Duane) Coleman of Queen Creek, AZ and Kris Reed of Chino Valley, AZ, grandchildren Ashleigh and Alison DeRosa, Amanda (Paul) Hermance, Larry and Jack Hermance and Grayson Coleman, and great-granddaughter Ivy Hermance. Gayle is also survived by her brother Jim Schumacher. Gayle was predeceased by her mother Pearl Bernice Kelly, her father Walter Wilt and her siblings Art and Jean Schumacher.

Gayle's family asks that any donations in her name be made to the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research - www.pancreatic.org.