Beverly Darlene Gilles

Beverly Darlene Gilles was born in Woodburn, Oregon on July 7, 1938 to Raymond and Theresa Gilles. She passed away in Woodburn, Oregon on Saturday May 2, 2020 of Lewy Body Syndrome, she was 81 years old. She grew up in the small farming community of Donald, Oregon and lived on the family farm until the last three and a half years of her life. Beverly graduated from North Marion High School in 1956. Beverly started taking accordion lessons in the late 1940's and loved playing it so much that she became very accomplished at playing the accordion and eventually became a certified music teacher. In 1958 she acquired her teacher's diploma from the Wiltsey School of Music where she became an accordion instructor and taught accordion at the very she school she finished her lessons and education. She continued to teach accordion until the Beatles came to America in the sixties. And as we all know the instrument that the Fab Four played was not an accordion but a guitar. So no one wanted to learn how to play an accordion any longer but the interest in how to play a guitar skyrocketed and everyone wanted to learn how to play a guitar. So Wiltsey School of Music told Beverly that there really was no need for an accordion instructor but if she would be willing to learn how to play the guitar then she could become a guitar instructor at the music school. So she learned how to play the guitar and started teaching guitar at the very same school of music where she had been teaching accordion. She quit teaching at the Salem Music School in the 1970's and started a new career in the insurance business but did continue to give private guitar and accordion lesson after work and weekends out of her home in Donald, Oregon. Beverly loved playing both the guitar and accordion and she was known for having a "really good time" at many a family functions playing one or the other. She worked for Al Smith insurance in St. Paul, Oregon until the early 1990's then finished her insurance career in Woodburn, Oregon. Beverly vacationed every September with her mom and dad and they traveled many miles visiting family and seeing many parts of the country but many of those trips ended in Reno one of Beverly's favorite places. Among some of the other places she loved was the Oregon Coast which she visited often after the death of her mother. Beverly enjoyed gardening not only flowers but vegetable gardening and once the garden was ready to harvest she could be seen helping her mom can quart after quart of harvested vegetables. She would help her dad and brother whenever they needed her help on the farm with caring for the livestock or as tractor/truck driver during the summer grain and hay harvest time. Beverly is survived by her Brother Chuck and his wife Sharon of Aurora. She is predeceased by her parents. We would like to thank Willamette Valley Hospice and give a special thanks and acknowledgement to Gana Davis for the wonderful care and friendship that she provided for Bevy the last three plus years. We could not have done it without her. A period of visitation will be held on Friday May 8th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Canby Funeral Chapel. In lieu of flowers a memorial donations may be made in Beverly's name to Willamette Valley Hospice. Beverly will be laid to rest at St. Luke Cemetery, Woodburn, Oregon.