Walnut Creek

Judy Marie “Jake” Gillivan, 82, has lost her three-year battle with ALS. Judy was born in Compton, Ca, and was adopted at birth by Bill and Ruth May. She grew upin Long Beach, attended Long Beach Poly (Go, Jackrabbits!) and graduated from Cal Poly SLO in 1964 (Go, Mustangs!).

She was married to Paul Jacob, with whom she had a daughter, Kristin Marie Haigh, in 1966. She married Jim “Gil” Gillivan in 1982, and proceeded to spend 42 ½ years together, traveling, enjoying friends and life in general. And enjoy they did.

Jake built a fabulous career as a teacher at Mt. Diablo Elementary in Clayton. She and Kathy Rogers became the first job-sharing team in the District. So for a quarter century, it was Monday-Tuesday-every other Wednesday for her. Their students thrived and excelled under this program. Open House at Room 11 was something to behold.

Ask anyone who saw their outrageous volcano eruptions.

She was a splendid horsewoman, well known on the Arabian horse show circuit. Jake started riding when she was six and didn't stop until she was 79. For thirteen years, she ran Buy-A-Bale, a fundraiser for Horses Honor in Auburn. She raised enough money to keep the herd of rescue horses in hay and feed for a year, each year.

She is survived by her husband and daughter, stepdaughter Katie Stein and husband David, teachers and residents of Warsaw, Poland, their two wonderful children, Zelda and Josie, and and stepdaughter Chrissy Davi and husband Anthony of Carmel, and their two children, Tyler and Isabella. She relished her role of Grandma, and just like everything else she did, she excelled at it.

She never did lose her smile, her sense of humor, or her compassion. She touched so many people’s lives in so many ways. She was the most positive person to walk the earth, and it was just sheer joy to be with her and around her.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Northgate Clubhouse, 1070 Trails End Dr., on Saturday, March 8th, from 11 Am to 1Pm.

If you wish, contributions in her memory can be made to www.horseshonor.org.