Dale Roger Gillette

Dale Roger Gillette, 68, took his last breath on June 27th in Centralia, Washington with his beloved best friend George at his side. In his own home, Bile Duct Cancer took this strong and loving man after strokes, Colorectal Cancer and a heart attack could not.

Dale was born in Hawthorne, California on July 10th, 1957, but spent most of his life in Desert Hot Springs. He was the middle child of the three boys born to Merle “Gene” and Rosalie “Rosie” Gillette. Considered one of the pioneering families of Desert Hot Springs, Dales’ father Gene created the first trash removal services there. Dale is preceded in death by both of his parents and his two brothers, the eldest Wesley and the youngest, Larry.

Dale was a 1976 graduate of Palm Springs High School but used the entirety of the desert as his schoolhouse. As a Boy Scout in his youth to the heavy equipment operation skilled through his father, Dale was always learning, exploring and adventuring through life. He loved people and people loved Dale all over the valley and beyond. A friend to many, he’d like to say when meeting someone new that his name is “Gillette, spelled the same but not as sharp!” Everyone that knew Dale knew that only half of that was true.

There are many stories to be told about the man who was Dale Gillette. Another lifetime could be spent talking about the last two decades living a settled and much quieter life in Washington State with George Higby and their dog and cats but for now we are happy imagining him continuing onto other adventures while we continue ours here.

Dale didn’t have any children of his own but his older brother Wesleys’ children, Lesley and Jason and younger brother Larrys’ daughters Cristen and Kellie held that special spot their Uncle Dale had all to themselves. Dale leaves behind the Higby, Manzer, Gall family in the north and in the south the Gillette, Bachman, Wright families and many more in Morongo Valley, Desert Hot Springs and the entire Coachella Vally. We all will hold him dear until the end of days and beyond.

There are no services planned at this time but if you’d like to make a donation to the Desert Hot Springs Historical Society in the Gillette family name please contact [email protected] or visit them at 66050 3rd Street, DHS, CA 92240.