Barbara Savory Gates, 77, passed away on June 3 in Monterey, California, as a result of Alzheimer’s disease. She was a 55-year resident of Pacific Palisades. After her husband, Russell C. Gates, died in 2002, she moved to Monterey to be near her family. Barbara was a graduate of UCLA and a member of Delta Gamma Sorority. After her marriage to Russ, she participated in many volunteer activities. Barbara was a charter guide at the Los Angeles Zoo. Along with her husband, she was a founder of the Palisades Tennis Club with Kay Drake and Nancy and Dick deVerrenes in the 1960s. Barbara also was active with St. Matthew’s Church, Junior League, and in her later years, volunteered at St. John’s Hospital. In addition, Barbara was an administrative assistant in the Physical Education Department of Pepperdine University. While living in an Alzheimer’s facility during the last two years of her life, Barbara was given an official volunteer badge because of her daily assistance to staff and other residents. In this capacity, she taught everyone with whom she came in contact the most precious of life’s lessons: unconditional love. During her leadership in Girl Scouts, Barbara became interested in horseback riding and pursued her passion at Cal Lutheran and Pepperdine. She was an ardent gardener, birdwatcher and world traveler. However, her most enjoyable moments were spent walking the beach with her husband and greeting the sunset each evening at the Bel-Air Bay Club. Barbara is survived by her daughter, Linda Ballard of Santa Barbara; her son, Bill (wife Cindy) of Pacific Grove; and two grandchildren, Christopher and Sophie. Private services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the donor’s favorite charity or the Alzheimer’s Association at 182 El Dorado, Monterey, CA 93940.
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