Gwen Dollander Giltner obituary submitted
Gwen Giltner was born on February 1, 1953, in Luverne, Minnesota to Virgil and Kathleen Fath Dollander. She grew up on a farm near Magnolia, Minnesota and attended St. Anthony’s Catholic School in Lismore, Minnesota. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Lismore. In 1968, Gwen moved with her family to a farm near Slayton, Minnesota. After graduating from the Slayton High School in 1971, she moved to Inglewood, California and attended Travel School. She and Larry Giltner were united in marriage on November 25, 1972, at the First Presbyterian Church in Inglewood. Following their marriage they lived in Niles, Illinois, and later Rosemont, Illinois both suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. In 1978, they moved to their present home in Canoga Park, California. Gwen founded Traveltime Travel Agency in 1981, and ran the agency for ten years. She also taught travel for a private school for two years. She was an assistant track coach for the Chaminade High School from 1993 to 1997. Gwen enjoyed finance, bargain hunting, auto races, football, gardening, especially roses, and was an avid basketball fan. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Gwen was visiting Slayton when she passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, May 24, 2007, at the age of 54.
Survivors include her husband Larry Giltner, Canoga Park, CA; one daughter Elizabeth Smith her husband Travis and one grandson Dylan Smith all of Winter Park, FL; parents Virgil and Kathleen Dollander, Slayton, MN and three brothers: L.T. and Shelly Dollander, Augusta, GA; Gene and Glenda Dollander, Evans, GA; and Tim and Jackie Dollander, Paradise Valley, AZ; one sister Becky Luft and her husband Rich, Currie, MN; father-in-law and mother-in-law Dave and Marge Giltner, Cambria, CA; sister-in-law and her husband Judy and John Koffroth, Redondo Beach, CA; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her grandparents and brother Terry Dollander.