Ada "Jean" Grace Gosling

Ada (Jean) Grace Gosling, age 97, of Lakewood, Colorado passed away on Thursday, November 18, 2021. Ada was born in London England on October 13, 1924 to Ernest Gosling of London and Euphemia Stuart of Scotland. They made their home at 5 Heather Gardens in Golders Green. Her two brothers, Peter Ernest Gosling, who died of sids in 1926 at 9 months old, and William Andrew Gosling, who was buried at sea in 1944 at 21 years old, would keep her parents in London for the rest of their lives. They could never move to America with their daughters and leave their sons behind. Ernest and Euphemia (Fifi) died 5 days apart from each other in 1982 at 89 years old and were laid to rest together in the Hendon Cemetery in London with their beloved sons.

Ada was from “The Greatest Generation”. She lived through World War II. Her family home sheltered many neighbors after they lost everything they owned when the bombs hit and destroyed both ends of her street.

Ada always said she was born in the wrong era. She knew she was born at least 30 years too soon. She was way ahead of her time. She was staunchly independent! A woman of culture who always paved her own way. No one was ever going to tell Ada Grace Gosling what to do. Ada lived her life on her own terms. She took up modeling and enjoyed a successful career. She was featured in several magazines (some of them were quite risqué) as well as several product and brand advertisements. She was also in the movie “Gidget Goes Hawaiian."

Ada eventually decided to follow her sister Jessie Caroline Musser (passed away on February 19, 2018 at 97) and immigrate to America. Jessie met her future husband at a dance during World War II and would come to America with him after getting married and starting their family in London. Ada got on the Queen Mary and came to America by herself. She had never even driven a car. She didn’t want to just be in America, She wanted to thrive! And thrive she did! She enrolled at Emily Griffith Opportunity School in Denver Colorado in 1957 and studied to earn her citizenship and officially became a US citizen on July 17, 1961. She went on to continue her education and entered the drafting program at Emily Griffith as well. She worked as a cocktail waitress at night to make her income to pay for school and her rented apartment. After working a few different jobs in her new trade, Ada would eventually get hired on with Exxon Minerals Co as a draftsman on 08/11/1969. Her chief responsibility in drafting was to make base maps with land and claim overlays and keep them up-to-date as quickly and accurately as possible with all related information for use by geologists and land personnel. Ada thoroughly enjoyed her career. Ada had to choose early retirement in 1984 due to company changes that would have made her have to move away from Colorado. She never took for granted the opportunity at Exxon and was loyal and grateful to Exxon until her death. She looked forward to seeing her friends every year at the annual holiday party.

Ada was very successful. She bought her own cars (her favorite was her white Cadillac) her own homes (several times), several rental properties and traveled the world. She went everywhere from Las Vegas to Russia to riding camels in Egypt!

Ada became “Jean” when she was dating one of her first American boyfriends who thought Ada wasn’t American enough. She had an American doll named “Jean” so she borrowed her name and used it for the next 60+ years. She made sure in the last year of her life to switch everything she owned back to her birth name which was no small feat. She actually had to prove who she really was because she had gone by Jean for so long. Speaking of boyfriends, Ada had a lot! One of her nephews actually called her a “Manimizer”! Ada (aka Jean) never married which was her choice. She always said there were too many men to have to choose just one. (Although looking back she said there was one she would have married). She always found a reason to “break things off” when it was time to say “Yes”.

Ada’s greatest regret in life was never having a child of her own. She felt she would have been an excellent mother. She was however, very grateful to her sister and the fact she got to be an aunt many times over. Especially in the last several years of her life. She also enjoyed being a part of her friends families and loved how they treated her like she was one of their own. Ada doted on her animals and loved them as though they were her children. Particularly her beautiful cats and her Japanese Koi fish she was so proud of.

Ada loved winning! She was very competitive! She participated in bowling leagues, played volleyball, rode horses, was an incredible gardener, loved fishing and breeding her Japanese Koi fish she was so proud of.

Ada was a creature of habit. She did not have a lot of friends. It was more about quality than quantity. The friends she did have she loved with all her heart! She wrote in her diary every single day. She loved her tea and special champagne, reading the paper, writing letters to home, sending and receiving postcards, controlling her investments, filing her paperwork, checking her mail, getting her hair done, and visiting with family and friends. She never went anywhere without her brows and lipstick on and her special Richardson's mints and caramel nips in her purse. Her favorite foods were shrimp, lobster, crab legs, Chinese and mushroom/sausage pizza. She also loved Flan for dessert.

Even though Ada became a US citizen and experienced great success in America, she always stayed true to her roots and stayed loyal to her homeland in her heart. She was a true “British Woman!” One of the last things Ada said was “I don’t compromise!“ And she was right.She lived her life her way. As soon as she wasn’t going to be in charge she gracefully took charge and took her last breath.

Ada was the last of her family and the last of our five generations. She was truly ready to go home. She missed her family tremendously! Especially her sister Jesse. She is finally able to be with her again without the toll growing old together took on them both.

Ada is survived by her nephew Robin Andrew Musser of Louisiana, and her niece Diane Leigh Arndt of Idaho. Her 5 great nephews and nieces, her 11 great-great nephews and nieces, and her 7 great-great-great nephews and nieces.

A visitation for Ada will be held Thursday, December 9, 2021 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, 7777 West 29th Ave, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. A funeral service will occur Friday, December 10, 2021 from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM, also at Olinger Crown Hill, followed by burial at Olinger Crown Hill Cemetery with a reception from 2:30 - 4:30pm.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.CrownHillFuneral.com for the Gosling family.