Lanice M Gillard

January 6, 2021

Lanice Marie Gillard passed away peacefully on January 6 in the coastal town of Pismo Beach, CA. She had relocated to this beautiful area in 2020 to be near the sunshine, surf and sand. She was a beloved mother, daughter, sister and friend. Her devotion to nature, art and relationships never wavered, and she found peace near the CA coast, something she had dreamed of for some time. Raised in northern California with her sisters Elizabeth and Monica, Lanice was the middle child who always brought everyone together. She was a born leader with a creative disposition. When she was a teenager, her devoted father Bryan moved Lanice and her sisters to Danville, CA and she was quick to make lifelong friendships as everyone was immediately taken by her bright and inclusive spirit. Lanice graduated from San Ramon Valley High School in 1984, and then eventually moved to Santa Barbara, where she worked and went to college before heading north to Sacramento. She obtained a degree in Communications from Cal State Sacramento in 1989. Shortly thereafter, she headed north to Seattle, where she aptly gravitated to Alki Beach so she could be near the water. She met Greg Gillard while working in this eclectic beach town that she loved, and they married just a few years later at a gorgeous park overlooking the beautiful city of Seattle. Lanice and Greg were blessed with the birth of their first son Callahan in 1996, and doubly blessed with their second son Jackson in 1998. She consistently shared that her greatest accomplishment in life was bringing her two beautiful boys into this world, and she was truly devoted to them and will be forevermore. The young Gillard family enjoyed living in West Seattle and Edmonds, before carefully choosing Snoqualmie, WA as their ultimate location to raise their family. They loved the nature, forest and small town feel for 14 years while building many friendships. During that time, Lanice indulged in her love for cooking, gardening, volunteering at local schools and was the home that all friends, young, old and furry were always welcome. She loved music and to sing and karaoke was usually a given when you visited the Gillard home. She developed a love of photography and was inspired by the Snoqualmie Valley, full of so much natural beauty. As her boys progressed through school, she was the ever-devoted PTA VP mom, spending countless hours teaching art in the classrooms. Simultaneously, she built incredible friendships, and she was extremely generous, not only with her time, yet also with her love of community. She worked tirelessly to help create the Tanner Jeans Memorial Foundation with her beloved friend Christen. Together they organized the annual Snoqualmie Bike Rodeo which advocates bicycle safety for children, and the legacy of this event lives on. As Lanice’s boys grew older, she had more time to devote to her art passion, and served on the board of Mount Si Artist Guild (MSAG) which lead to ultimately becoming the president of the Snoqualmie Art Commission. She also had the honor to work side by side with Dale Chihuly as his personal assistant, a role that she coveted. She had the ability to share her joy of art with her passion for collecting unique treasures, which spread love and creativity to many. She convinced her sister Monica and her family into moving to Snoqualmie from Danville, CA where they spent many years together raising their sons, all four close in age. While Lanice and Greg eventually decided to go their separate ways, their family bond remained strong and she shared that “Greg was her best friend.” Her sons meant everything to her and she was so grateful to spend time and share her love with them. She eventually moved back to CA and spent quality time with her older sister Liz and Fred the past year. She loved the warm coastal days and would like to be remembered when you look at the sun. Namaste. Lanice is preceded in death by her mother, Bernice, and is survived by her father Bryan, her children Callahan and Jackson, best friend Greg, sisters Elizabeth (Fred) and Monica (Pat), nephews Sean, Tyler, and Trey and niece Bailey. Lanice lost her beloved dogs Phil and Dewey earlier this year, but no doubt she is running with them in heaven. She will be greatly missed and remembered by all. A special thank you to her dear longtime friend Carrie. If you would like to make a donation in her honor please donate to: Mount Si Food Bank (North Bend), Mount Si Art Guild (Snoqualmie), Tanner Jeans Memorial Foundation (Snoqualmie), or Youth Care (Homeless minors in Seattle) Please text or email any photos or stories to her sister Monica for a future memorial video and book. Please send stories and photos to [email protected] or text to 209-607-6048 in addition to posting on Reis Family Tribute Page.