Aletha (Jay) Jocephine Gilmour was born on Dec. 27, 1932, in Petaluma, Calif., and died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Oct. 13, 2009. Mrs. Gilmour was married to James David Gilmour for 54 years before he passed away in May of last year. She was a resident of Mercer Island for 46 years. She was a graduate of the University of Wyoming and a member of Alpha Chi Omega. She was a school teacher at West Mercer Elementary for many years.

Mrs. Gilmour enjoyed boating throughout the San Juan and Gulf Islands and cruising the world. She was a master of many crafts, including knitting, quilting, sewing and needlepoint. Everything that she made was a labor of love and truly a work of art. She was actively involved with a wonderful sit-and-knit group at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue, where she made many good friends and provided comfortable hats and blankets for cancer patients.

Mrs. Gilmour is survived by her three daughters, Laura Alexander, of Mercer Island; Elaine Gilmour, of Tumwater, Wash.; and Nancy Walsh, of Edmonds, Wash.; two son-in-laws, Gary Alexander and Edward Walsh; and four grandchildren, Lindsey Gilmour, Carter Gilmour, Sydney Walsh and Melanie Walsh. She is also survived by her brother, Steve Olmsted, of Cotati, Calif.; nieces, Lynn Olmsted, Kathleen Hale, Chris Mertens, Carol Drysdale and Vicki Crayne; and nephew, Steve Olmsted.

Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Sunset Hills Memorial Park in Bellevue.