Full Obituary for Charles Gill

      

                          

                                                                              Charles Frederick Gill

                                      May 5, 1949 - December 2, 2019

On Monday, December 2, 2019, Charles Frederick Gill, died at age 70 after a valiant battle with colon cancer. He is survived by his beloved and supportive wife, Carol Witt Garnett; two stepsons, Matthew and Andrew  Garnett; his father Frank Harry Gill; four children (with Elizabeth Gill), Grant, Graham, Krista (Gill) Stevens, and Angela Gill; four grandchildren, Tesha and Aidan Stevens, Abigail and Hannah (Gill) Anguiano; and by sisters Frances (Gill) Oppertshauser and Cynthia (Gill) Anthony.  

“Charlie” was born in Toronto, CA, on May 5, 1949. He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1973 and began his business career as a Chartered Accountant. He worked for Peoples Jewelers Limited, CA, from 1973 to 1993 where he held the positions of Executive Vice President, CFO, and Director from 1986 - 1991, and President from (1991 - 1993). He led the successful tender offer for Zale Corporation (US) and became the Assistant to the President and a Director of Zales from 1986 - 1992 He was co-owner of the Jemms Group, CA, from 1993 - 1996. From 1996 until retirement in 2010  he was the Vice President, US Development, for the Royal Group International. This position created the opportunity for him to move to the United States.  He resided in

                            St. Petersburg, FL, where he lived until his death.

A self-taught Duplicate Bridge player, he won the American Contact Bridge League’s national Mini-McKinney Bronze Life Masterpoints Race in 2004, and attained the rank of Sapphire Life Master before his death. His love of bridge coupled with his positive, friendly approach to business resulted in his development of the St. Petersburg Bridge Club over a fourteen year period. His vision was to unify a small group of separately owned games under one management creating one of the 50 largest bridge clubs in the United States. As President and Club Manager from 2005 until 2014 he raised more than $500,000 enabling the club to purchase its playing space and securing its future as a member-owned club. He remained Club Manager until his death. He was a member of the ACBL Board of Governors, and Florida’s District 9 and Unit 128 Board of Governors. He was chosen Volunteer of the Year by the ACBL in 2011.

While other Interests included tennis and chess, he was an avid supporter of children who were neglected, abused and abandoned. For more than a decade he served as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem serving children in Pinellas and Pasco Counties. His commitment to child welfare was reflected in his decision to adopt four children in Canada.

Charlie was an incurable optimist.  He reached hundreds of people daily throughout the world when he began to blog about his “colon cancer journey” in the spring of 2017. His blog and recently published book, Red Shirts and Rubber Duckies, Surviving Cancer with a Smile, offers cancer patients, caregivers, support groups, relatives and friends insight and practical guidance seasoned with Charles’ special brand of gentle humor. 

Optimism is the belief that "good things will happen to you and that negative events are temporary setbacks to be overcome." When one combines optimism with integrity you have "a person who seeks the best outcome in every situation, while being honest and forthright about the facts of situations as they exist."  To optimism and integrity add kindness, loyalty, friendliness, love of his fellow man and mix these qualities together with a large measure of whimsy and you have Charles Gill.

In celebration of Charlie’s life, The Charles Gill Memorial Game will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2020, at the St. Petersburg Bridge Club, 9103 U.S. Highway 19 N., Pinellas Park, FL 33782, Beginning at 5:00 PM there will be dinner, followed by tributes, special memories and bridge.

Dinner reservatiions may be made by email to:  andrew@bridgecentric.com

In Canada a Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2020, at 1:00 PM at the First Baptist Church, 812 Hortop Street, Oshawa, Ontario, with a reception to follow.

Memorial Contributions may be made in Charlie’s name to the Guardian ad Litem Foundation of Tampa Bay, a nonprofit organization providing direct support to needy and neglected children in the local welfare system. Contributions can be made through the secure Internet link:   herotoachild.org.

  

Random Thoughts of the Incurable Optimist and Blogger

Optimism is the belief that "good things will happen to you and that negative events are temporary setbacks to be overcome." When one combines optimism with integrity you have "a person who seeks out the best outcome in every situation, while being honest and forthright about the facts of situations as they exist."  To optimism and integrity add kindness, loyalty, love of his fellow man and mix these qualities together with a large measure of whimsy and you have Charles Gill.

Charles has taken you on his "colon cancer journey" beginning in the spring of 2017 and ending today. His blog and subsequent book, Red Shirts and Rubber Duckies, Surviving Cancer with a Smile, is his gift to all with cancer and to their friends and relatives. It has brought smiles and comfort to many already.

Charles spent the first three of his last five weeks in hospitals where they think of millions of excuses to try to keep you alive. Every inch of your body is pushed, poked, prodded and jabbed to analyze your current state of health. Infusions of a staggering variety of multi-syllable and unpronounceable compounds follow their analysis to test their theory of the day. It is a unique form of torture. An exchange of pain for hope.

It was Charles' decision to exchange pain for peace. Two weeks ago he entered hospice care. At hospice, time moves both too slowly and too fast. Day and night meld into one. He tried to plan the end of his life during lucid periods whenever they might occur. In a phone call to The Research Manager at 4:18 AM he demanded she bring his death certificates immediately. After a long and awkward pause, he heard the reply, "Well that is hard to do, dear, because you are not dead yet."

During other lucid moments he offered the following comments for his last blog:

- People, particularly the medical staff, wish you "luck" when they go off duty. But you don't need luck. Best wishes and blessings are fine.

- It is difficult to tell time. Without football I would not know the day of the week.

- It is hard to express the value of jello, warm blankets, hugs, and apple juice.

- I am thankful for people giving me their time to help me.

- My faith has prepared me well. I am ready for whatever happens.

-  If you cry at one's passing, crying is not sadness. It means JOY!  In recollection of happy memories.

And finally, his last words:

One finds oneself writing in many situations. It is this situation that I find very unique. Because now I have nothing more to say.

Think carefully to determine the message. And share the message as much as you can.

I love you all.

Charlie
__________________________

The Incurable Optimist rests in peace.
May 5, 1949 - December 2, 2019
__________________________

Incurable, indeed.

Thank you for giving Charlie a reason to live. He cherished the opportunity to blog and to share his philosophy, humor and love of life with you.

Love,
The Research Manager


   

Feeling tired.

Recovering slowly.

More to come.

In the Middle of Nowhere 

Charlie has had no Internet service for the past two days. He hopes to be posting his regular blog soon.

Thank you as always, for your love, care, prayers, kind thoughts and support.

The Research Manager  

At the bottom of everything

Last week, I thought that I was on top of things.

This past weekend, I realized that was closer to the bottom. The new and never to be used again treatment almost destroyed me.

I thought that I was going to die, but Morton Plant hospital thankfully has disabused me of that thought. I would have blamed the fluid build up but the reality is that my white blood count was .06 far below the normal range of 4.7 to 11.7. Three successive shots of neupogen brought it up to .09 to 2.3 to 9.5 today. That is good improvement while at the same time, I have had continued fluid build up and just today contributed 4.8 liters to the cause. It kind of looks like an Octoberfest beer with a natural head,

Tomorrow, I expect they will drain fluid from around my left lung,

So, where are go from here? Morton Plant is a super cautious hospital and once they have you in their grasp, they won't let you go till every last hangnail is healed. Therefore,, I expect to go to a few days rehab.

One good thing about this visit is that I have been called sweetheart, honey and sweetie by virtually every nurse and tech in the building.

Another benefit is that having to wait one day to do this blog and going through what I have gone through has raised my weekly readership by 100.

Thanks, as always, for your love, care, prayers, kind thoughts and support.

On Top of Everything.

Another interesting and challenging week,

We are getting a handle on how to manage things a little better.

The fluid in the abdomen causes two risks - pain from the pressure and resulting nausea.

So the plan is now the following:

Eat as much as I can for the first few days after the fluid is removed,

Then take an anti-nausea pill as needed and a painkiller as needed also.

Also, I am taking a pill that slows the production of the fluid

In addition the chemo is showing some effect. Today's fluid was less that last week and there was less fluid around the lung,

So, we seem to have a path forward. A few more chemo treatments and we may have the fluid thing under control.

As you know, the research manager is doing her research thing almost constantly. The physician's assistant told me that she is really on top of things. Today, I was given a script for the painkiller, but they gave me that wrong script, The Research Manager caught it before we left the cancer center.

As final proof, we go almost all the way home yesterday when she discovered she did not have her phone, I called her number - no ring, no answer,

I called the cancer center and they could not find it. Hmmm, it had to be there, They checked again. No Phone.

Where was it? She was sitting on it! She is on top of everything,

Dreams of Blueberry Muffins

An interesting week.

Thursday, I just took it easy and built up a little energy.

Friday morning, I felt energetic enough to suggest we play the afternoon tournament game and we actually scratched.

By Saturday, I ventured out on the tennis court and ended up tied. I played with Keith who earns not only one but two kudos. The first was the tennis game and the second will be revealed later in this blog.

I was really wiped out by one set of tennis, but still summoned the energy to play another tournament game and scratched again.

Sunday was a take it easy day while the research manager went off to play bridge all day.

The only problem was that I lost my voice and still don't have it back yet.

Meanwhile, I gained a pound each day as the fluids started to build in my abdomen again.

Monday afternoon, we actually finished first at the club bridge game.

And then came Tuesday and a meeting with the nurse practitioner. We quickly decided that the dosage of chemo the first time was too high owing both to my reaction and my lower weight.

I generally am faring better and tiredness, a little dizziness and my voice are the major issues that I am dealing with.

Today was fluid draining day and I gave up 4,2 liters of fluid. It kind of looks like bear and even has a head on it as each bottle fills.

Back to Keith. He said that a restaurant had great blueberry muffins. I have been dreaming about that ever since. As we were leaving the hospital, I mentioned their blueberry muffins, but we breezed right by.

The research manager asked if I wanted to go home or stop to eat. I mentioned a place called Doe Doe's. I told her that I was smarter than she thought. She quickly realized that Doe Doe's had great blueberry muffins and so Doe Doe's it was. The eggs were great and I loved that muffin. It was so big that I took half home. I just have to hope that the famous mouse in our house doesn't find it before tomorrow.

The other day, a commercial on the TV said that if I got dental implants, I could eat whatever I want. I will give that some consideration.

Thanks again for your prayers, interest and support.