- Date Of Birth: October 13, 1965
- Date Of Death: December 7, 2022
- State: Colorado
Monica Lynn Gillett Younger passed away on December 7, 2022, at her home in Pueblo, CO after a seven-month battle with cancer. Monica was born on October 13, 1965, in Key West, FL where her father was serving in the US Navy. Her parents were Rita Smart Gillett and Lyle Gillett. Her family has been living in Colorado for five generations.
She is survived by her father, her children, Dr. Shiloh Drake and Jacob Zaidins, her brothers, Jeff and Greg Gillett, and her partner, Bruce Carpenter. Her mother, Rita, and her brother, Christopher, preceded her in death.
Monica was artistic, athletic, ambitious, and knowledgeable in all things technical. She loved nature from the coasts to the mountains. She frequently participated in races and cycling competitions, and enjoyed hiking and camping with her loving dogs all over Colorado and the US. She was a certified wine sommelier and loved finding delicious red wines from local wineries. She maintained an entrepreneurial spirit and looked for ways to combine her creativity with her passions for health and family.
Monica grew up in Littleton, CO and attended Littleton High School. Before starting her serious college studies, she held a few interesting jobs, including landscape architecture and designing cable systems.
After Shiloh’s birth in 1990, Monica finished her BA in English at CU Denver. She followed that with an MS in Technical Communication. While working with the IT department at the college, she learned of an opportunity to help create some pediatric educational software. She joined the group of developers and the final product won educational awards. This led to her being appointed as an instructor in the CU Medical School, where she worked closely with doctors at the Denver Children’s Hospital. During this period as an instructor, she gave birth to Jacob in 2001.
In 2009, Monica and her husband, Clyde Zaidins, decided to move to the Long Beach Peninsula in Washington State. Although her intention was to retire, she wound up working on the 2010 census. Shortly thereafter she became the coordinator for Wellspring Community Network, and eventually the IT and compliance officer for Willapa Behavioral Health. Through these opportunities, she was able to build her interest and expertise in promoting healthy communities and the importance of mental healthcare.
In 2015, Monica moved back to Denver and worked for the Tri-County Health Department. After Jacob graduated from high school in 2019, she and Bruce moved to Pueblo. Together, Monica and Bruce successfully renovated their home, which was originally built around 1910. The couple was on a yearlong cross-country camping trip when she was diagnosed with the brain cancer that eventually took her life.
Despite her diagnosis, Monica’s positive outlook and independent spirit dominated until the very end. She was a beloved, caring family member and friend to many people. She will be greatly missed.
