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Obituary provided by Kim Bryant May:
Glenn Marden Gerrish
December 8, 1951-February 26, 2021
Glenn is survived by his dedicated wife, Kathy (Fasani) Gerrish of Kapaa, HI; his loving son, Justin (Heather) Gerrish of Carbondale CO; Heather's children, Jordan Shelton of Fort Collins, CO and Taylor Kennedy of Mar Vista, CA; brothers, Harold (Charlene) Gerrish of Aptos, CA and Stephen (Barb) Gerrish of Hailey, ID; and an extensive family of cousins, nieces, and nephews and their children.
Glenn was born in Hollywood, California and attended Palo Alto High School (class of 1970) where he excelled in academics and athletics. He played guitar with his friends in the garage band “The Skiffle Blues.” He then went on to have a long and successful career as a mobile diesel mechanic, first in the California Oil Fields in Ventura, California then later as a fleet mechanic for O.Thronas Concrete in Lawai, Hawaii from 1988 to 2018.
“Big Daddy” will be remembered by so many lifelong friends, young and old, as the Gentle Giant. His dedication and hard work in his profession as a Heavy-Duty Mechanic and his passion for creating custom Koa furniture was admired by all who knew him and set a good example for the next generation.
Moving to SoCal in 1972 he built an extended family of lifelong friends with his wife and son where he enjoyed decades of pure enjoyment, living life on his own terms. He loved his many passions such as scuba diving The Channel Islands, skiing the sierras, camping, hunting, surfing, many trips to Mexico, riding his Harley, cooking Kalua Pig on the beach for friends, and much more! His quest for fun and clean living led him and Kathy to Kauai in 1988. Here they were blessed with warm water, amazing waves, ample work, and the respect of new friends. Glenn was able to shift his schedule and take time to chase big waves. However, in pursuit of those perfect waves, his list of injuries grew. His final effort created a much-needed resource, a firearm range, for the Kauai Community and hopefully they will acknowledge his strength by protecting and preserving it.
Unfortunately, for those of us who loved him, he was unable to heal from his injuries and this loss has created a void in our hearts that can only filled by… More Surfing! Or participating in whatever leisure activities you find enjoyable! Reminding ourselves of his example to live, love, laugh and be kind and generous. Teach others to enjoy all life has to offer as he did for you. Pass it on.
Please join the celebrations of his life in either, or both, Hollywood Beach, Oxnard, California on March, 27, 2021 or Thanksgiving 2021 Luau in Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii. Details to follow.
Aloha and Mahalo.
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Kimberley Bryant (May)
Kathy requested that I post Glenn's obituary on this site. It is with a heavy heart that I do so. She and Glenn were not members of this group and she may sign up, but if not, I will forward your comments to her.
Glenn and I began our friendship at Crescent Park, when he was the ball monitor behind the dutch door at recess and always saved a kickball for me. We continued our friendship, but I had a bit of the wanderlust in me, and wasn't always attending Paly in the high school years so we didn't hang out together other than my occasional visit to the Bahrn for music. I did get to see that sweet blond child, Justin, before moving to Washington.
We reconnected about 25 years ago when my husband and I were on Maui and they invited us over to their first Kauai home. My husband and Glenn had a lot in common from their early years as motorheads, skiiers, campers, hikers and music lovers who sometimes had too much fun.They both realized the value of hard work and set their lives in that direction. We started meeting up with Glenn and Kathy in Sun Valley to ski when they made their annual trip to the mainland. In more recent years, their mainland trips centered around their Oxnard home where they could enjoy the waves and drive to Mammoth or Tahoe to enjoy the slopes. During these trips, Jim and I stayed in their Kauai home. Glenn and Kathy were an institution for sure, and enjoyed over 50 years together. We will always admire Glenn's ability to excel at any of his passions. He accepted difficult mechanical problems as a challenge, created beautiful Koa furniture for their home, took on the big waves, skied the steeps, and hosted an annual neighborhood Thanksgiving Luau.
Glenn was a man of strong opinion with a gentle soul. His departure from this earth will leave a hole in the hearts of all knew him. Rest easy my friend.
Rob Wilson
Glenn was big. He will no doubt leave a big hole in many hearts here.
Glenn was for a while my best friend. From Jordan right through Paly, and in many hundreds of hours in the sun, body surfing, drinking Colt 45 and disgusting wine from jugs at the Hollywood Beach house well into our twenties, Glenn and I passed through our adolescence and into adulthood side-by-side. He was my partner in crime, my fellow rebel against the sometimes-stifling probity of our upper-middle class families' expectations. We used to steal warm beer from my father's cellar, along with lethal combinations of various hard liquor poured into the jars he stored there for Strawberry jam. I'd pass them through a basement window to Glenn waiting in the bushes, and we'd venture out into the staid streets of Palo Alto, hooking up with fellow rapscallions Minkler, Jewell, Preston, Govan, Costello, Rea, Sweet, Rossi and the rest -- the future founders of The Bahrn -- a fraternity of teenage devilry based over the garage at Jack Nelligan's house on Channing. There we shared the rites of passage, eluding the police as we sold beer from our very own bar, a teenage speak-easy, our clubhouse, our hideout where we drank our beer and smoked our joints until God knows when, listening to the greatest music of all time of flawless speakers .... and of course, that notorious mattress-lined love nest, "Apartment 3G, " object of false bravado for most of us, fantasies of forbidden lust -- but not for Glenn. Glenn was not a bullshitter. He saw something he liked, he went for it.
When I was struggling to be straight way back at Jordan, and had managed to muster some manly affection for the beautiful Kathy Fasani, (one night of fairly decent kissing on someone's couch but no clue where to take it from there, closeted gay boy that I was), it was Glenn who towered over me and said, "You're into Kathy Fasani?" Umm, yeah…. "Well, so am I." No contest, big man. There began one of the most endearing, perfectly matched relationships to grow out of the green green grass of our town. Pregnant and married at 17, Glenn and Kathy bucked the boring norm from day one. They were living to please nobody but themselves and us few fortunate friends. Their high school marriage and the birth of Justin were milestones in all our young lives – a message that if you choose your own path and have the courage to stay on it, you will enjoy a freedom few ever achieve.
I loved Glenn, Kathy and Justin, loved weekends with them at the beach, escaping the pressure of constant conformity, melting into stoned bliss in the warmth of their endlessly welcoming home in that old ramshackle, sandy haven of a stucco beach house that swayed and creaked when the wind blew, where the sun set in the living room, the blue Pacific was their front yard. Glenn and Kathy loved to live and lived to love -- no ladders, no pressure, just free. We were always laughing there. Justin was a shining boy, his permanent tan, long hair bleached by the sun – rambling over the dunes, surfing and diving and riding motorcycles right alongside His Big Kahuna Dad.
I never understood the mechanical world where Glenn made his sterling career, or the genius Glenn had for fixing diesel engines, but clearly, he met his match in those rumbling behemoths and conquered it. One of my last memories I have of him was sitting at the kitchen table in Oxnard, his overalls black with grease, a huge wrench in his hand, just staring at that tool ... lost in some intricate problem with some crippled monster truck -- oblivious to me, to my babbling of life in Film School. He would not let it go until it bent to his will. Nobody, no obstacle, no rule or law or physical challenge - nothing got in Glenn's way.
Wherever he is, I have no doubt, angels and devils have no sway over his soul.
John Sevey
I am saddened to hear of the passing of our old friend, my former neighbor, former teammate and just overall good guy. In reading the obituary posted by Kimberly May and the wonderful piece written by Rob Wilson (Thank you to both of you) I have rediscovered a friend I had not heard from for probably 50 years. But I am suddenly at his house again, in his room, at the Gerrish home on Madison Way, with John Goldberg and they are playing instruments and for some reason I am briefly a member of the Skiffle Blues band-Me with no musical talent and yet I am singing "Gloria-G-L-O-R-I-A Gloria". And I am on the fields of Crescent Park, Jordan and Paly playing football with Glenn. I am seeing Glenn and Kathy just loving each other and loving life and we are all loving them. Glenn was always kind to my Mom and Dad, we lived like 6 houses apart and he is remembered just so fondly. I am so very happy to read how fulfilling his life was, living it his way. So glad that our friends Glenn and Kathy found their soulmates for life. My heart hurts to hear this news and yet I am inspired by his journey. Rest In Peace my friend. My thoughts and prayers go out to you Kathy. And to all who loved our big gentle giant.
George (Thomas) Piffero (Cummins)
I am sorry to hear of the passing of Glenn, I always thought he was bigger then life and a gentle giant.
I haven't seen him since school but thought of him often and his heart for others.
My condolences to his family
Don Read
Condolences Kathy and Justin. I was very saddened to read Glenn's obiturary this morning. He was so fun to be and laugh with - what funny times we had at your place in Los Altos! I am sorry we all lost contact over these many years. Don
S. Jane Ackerman (Spangler)
Glenn.....always a towering force and beloved spouse to my lifelong friend Kathy. Having grown up with Kathy there are so many memories of a childhood filled with adventure after adventure, occasionally naughty in nature .... but recent times spent together in Kauai alongside Big Daddy and Kathy brought me a new perspective on friendship. Glenn and Kathy were attached at the the hip. They cared deeply for one another...Kathy visibly energetic, Glenn contemplative and quiet. Their lives so generous and hearts open to all. We hiked with them on our last visit and Glenn moved with ease up The Sleeping Giant. We ate and talked and talked. We went to the gun range and enjoyed an outdoor shower and the cool breeze sitting on the back porch of their tropical home filled with Glenn's beautiful Koa furniture and Kathy's decorative touch.... coconut painted heads etc. I will forever cherish those times and I know for sure Glenn is sharing another beer, story or dinner on the other side with all those whose lives he intersected that passed before. Rest easy Glenn. We will forever keep Kathy in our sight.....
Katherine Keller (Wilson)
This is such sad news. What young girl did not have a crush on Glenn! He really enjoyed life to the fullest. I am so glad Kathy had so many long, happy years together. Kathy- my heart goes out to you. xo Kathy/Kate KW
David (Dewey) Turner
Glenn
It’s been a long time. Tried to touch base once when I was in Hawaii, but go figure, Glenn and Kathy were on the mainland. Long time, and now it’s too late. Swear to God.
Takes me back to 1966, or 67. Roger, Glenn and me. Hanging out at Glenn’s house or wherever. We were tight in those days. Swear to God.
Moved on up to Bahrn days. Always an adventure, always a game. Puts a smile on my face just thinking about it. Swear to God.
Kathy and Glenn. I think we all loved Kathy. Glenn and Kathy, meant to be. Sweet love and a beautiful Justin. Justin, Kathy and Glenn, riding the waves. Swear to God.
Never left my heart. Wish I knew more. I think I’ll touch base on the other side. Swear to God.
Karen Wiebenson (Weigel)
Kimberley Bryant (May)
It's been a year since I received that devastating phone call that Glenn was gone. Tonight, as I stare at the flickering candle lit in memory of a great friend and wonderful man, I'm grateful for the memories that can never be extinguished. Rest in peace dear friend. Your friends will comfort Kathy in the best way we can.