Steve Zotovich and his three children remember a remarkable woman, Gail Gilmore Zotovich. Gail, Steve’s wife of fourteen years, died of a recurrent brain tumor in November 2001. They are joined by many others who remember Gail.

Six years before their marriage, Gail was a Registered Nurse at the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center (JJCCC), Miller Children’s Hospital. Her friend, Joetta Deswarte Wallace, RN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, remembers, “Gail was a nurse with phenomenal skills who provided passionate care for patients and their families. In 1989, she left to raise a family, but stayed in close touch. When Gail became a patient herself in August 1994, she didn’t talk about her many challenges...she just asked about friends and patients at JJCCC. I was so fortunate to have her as my friend.”

Steve Zotovich is the owner of ZMI Real Estate in Newport Beach; The Wine Room, a wine store in Irvine; and a Pinot Noir vineyard in Lompoc (Santa Rita Hills), California. He and his son, Ethan, were happy when Gail came into their lives and the family was doubly blessed with the births of Lindsay, now 14, (a top tennis player) and Nicole (a talented dancer), now 12. They know the joys of family, but also the difficulties associated with a loved one with cancer. For seven years, Gail fought the disease with valor - thankful for her supportive family and friends.

Most of the time, Gail kept their spirits high. However, in June 2001 they faced the inevitable together and said their goodbyes. The MMCF received an unusual number of gifts in Gail’s memory. Steve added a major gift and asked the MMCF to establish the Gail K. Zotovich, RN, Endowment as her legacy. Steve is now “mom” and, fortunately, a great cook, loves time in his garden and with his children. He says, “Outside of raising my children, wine is my passion.” As they carry on, the Zotovich family knows that “death ends a life, not a relationship.”

NAMED ENDOWMENT A Named Endowment may be established in the MMCF with gift of cash, securities or other assets to provide income for ongoing support of medical equipment, research, a patient care program or healthcare education like Steve did for nursing education at the JJCCC. Support may be directed to any area of interest at Long Beach Memorial or Miller Children's Hospital. The original gift remains in perpetuity and only the annual income is used for the directed purpose. For information on establishing an Endowment in the name of someone important in your life, contact Devon Dougherty at 562.933.1673, ddougherty@memorialcare.org or Jim Normandin, MMCF President, at 562.933.1667, jnormandin@memorialcare.org.