ORLANDO, Fla. — Vesta Gillon, 80, of The Villages, Florida, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 29. She was born Oct. 17, 1937, the daughter of George Jaffe (a WW II U.S. Marine veteran) and his wife Margarite (“Mike”), both school teachers, in Long Island, New York. Vesta attended college at Hofstra University in New York and spent her summers with her parents at their happy place, a lake house (camp) in Franklin.

Vesta moved to Miami and for over 20 years was the office manager for one of the top plastic surgery practices in Miami Beach. After her marriage to Dick Davis, Vesta was married to Dr. Robert H. Gillon for over 30 years — they lived together in North Miami, and then the Villages.

Vesta had an infectious smile, was eternally optimistic and couldn’t do enough to help those she knew, and even total strangers. Vesta loved reading crime novels; the American Flag; lobsters (only 1¼ lbs from Maine); fine dining around the world, and chicken wings in Ocala; her cats, Sarah and Annie; traveling, especially safaris to Africa; sitting under her beautiful oak tree in her backyard with her husband, Robert; tennis, golf, and bridge with her girlfriends; swimming and boot camp; and a good vodka martini.

Vesta deeply missed her husband, Robert, who passed away in December 2017. She loved her new-found stepbrother, Arthur Meader and his wife, Sheila, and her adopted family, Rosa and Victor Medina, who loved and cared for Vesta, Robert, and Vesta’s parents with warmth and compassion. Vesta is survived by three stepsons (Peter, Steven, and Josh Gillon), two daughter-in-laws, and eight loving, beautiful and successful grandchildren of whom she was very proud, and all of whom will miss her dearly.

Friends are invited to sign the family guest book and share their thoughts, condolences and fond memories online at www.meaderandson.com.

Local arrangements are under the care of the Meader & Son Funeral Home, Cremation and Monument Services, 3 Franklin St., P.O. Box 537, Rumford, ME 04276.

Vesta Gillon