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Evelyn Gunning Obituary
Nov. 2, 1917 - Apr. 13, 2013
Evelyn Chevillat was born in New York City on November 2, 1917. Evelyn studied acting and played summer stock in Ogunquit, Maine and joined The Cleveland Playhouse. In the 1940's she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career.
During the war Evelyn got a job at Douglas Aircraft, where she met union steward Bill Gunning. They fell in love, and married. Bill formed his own company, Astrodata and they moved to Fullerton.
Evelyn earned a degree in Psychology at UCLA. She fiercely believed in self-determination, and was part of an underground telephone network to help women seeking abortions before they were legal.
Bill took a position at Xerox PARC in Palo Alto, and the family resettled in Los Altos Hills. Evelyn became a volunteer counselor at Planned Parenthood, and trained counselors around the country.
Both Evelyn and Bill loved to travel and were truly interested in other peoples' lives. Evelyn liked to ask, "What are you doing in your life that you are enjoying?" She was generous in heart and spirit, and enjoyed an interesting life of her own making. She loved books, music and films. Above all, she loved to laugh. We are the fortunate ones to have loved and laughed along with her.
Her husband William Gunning preceded her in death on October 27, 2006.
She left behind two sons, Dan, who lives with his wife Vicki in San Francisco, and Stephan, who lives with his fiance Johanna in Novato.
Bill and Evelyn are buried in Palo Alto, at Alta Mesa Cemetery.
Donations can be made in Evelyn's name to Planned Parenthood.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Evelyn Gunning
3 Entries
November 7, 2013
May the memories of Evelyn continue to make you smile. My condolences on your loss.
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David Wilmsen
November 3, 2013
In my youth, she was as a second mother to me. I'm so glad I got to rekindle the mother-son relationship late in both of our lives, and to introduce her to my granddaughter, who took to her immediately and started singing while sitting in her lap.
David Wilmsen
November 3, 2013
She was a second mother to me. In my late teens and early twenties, her home was a safe refuge from the ravages of the road.
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