KARAROSE GILMAN

Kararose (Kara) Gilman, 44, died on the evening of Saturday February 11, 2023, in Brea, California after putting up an incredibly strong and courageous battle against a very aggressive form of breast cancer for almost two and a half years.  Kara was born on February 12, 1978, in Riverside, California to Harold Frederick and Marcia Jean (Urban) Gilman.  She lived in Montana for a couple of years and Florida for eight years before coming back to Riverside where she resided for the rest of her life.  She was a proud member of Temple Beth El for about 35 years.  Her indelible Jewish faith was instilled by her mother and further developed by attending The Hillel School of Tampa, Beth Israel Campus through fourth grade, by joining and becoming an active member of Temple Beth El after moving back to Riverside, and by attending Jewish camp during the summers in California.  She graduated from John W. North High School in 1995 where she excelled in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program, theatre, and band.  Between her time at Temple Beth El, Jewish summer camp, and John W. North High School, Kara formed many lasting friendships.  Though she applied to and was accepted to universities across the country, she ended up attending the University of California, Riverside on a full ride scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics in 1998.  Because of her strong Jewish faith, Kara contemplated becoming a rabbi.  But in the end, her love of mathematics and her drive to teach students won out when she accepted a high school mathematics teaching position at none other than John W. North High School in February 1999.  In 2000, Kara completed a Master of Arts degree in Education and received a Single Subject Mathematics Teaching Credential at Claremont Graduate University.  In addition to teaching, she served as the Mathematics Department Chair and as a Mathematics Instructional Coach for multiple years.  From 2014-2016, Kara took a hiatus from her duties at John W. North to work for Riverside Unified School District as a Mathematics Staff Development Specialist.  Part of what made her such an exceptional teacher to her students and mentor to her colleagues was her desire to never stop learning.  She completed a Master of Science degree in Mathematics at Emporia State University in 2016 and taught evening and summer classes for multiple years at Norco College, part of the Riverside Community College District.  She also served in multiple roles, including president, on the board at Riverside Temple Beth El.  But as much as Kara loved being a teacher, her Jewish faith, and her friends, there was nothing that she loved more than her family which included her pets.  In 2005, she gave birth to her son.  To her, raising him was the most important job of her life.  Also, in the summer of 2006, out of about 400 readers at the Advanced Placement Statistics Reading on the campus of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Kara was randomly paired with who ended up becoming the love of her life. 

It is mind blowing how many lives, from her extensive medical team since the fall of 2020 to her students to her colleagues to Temple Beth El members to her friends to her relatives and to her immediate family, have been positively impacted by being lucky enough to have known Kararose Gilman.  She possessed the highest level of every good characteristic that exists.  She was the most beautiful person inside and out, was highly intelligent, had the best smile, gave the best advice, and was the poster child of kindness.  She was the best mom and was the love of my life.  She loved spending time in the outdoors, going to sporting events and concerts, visiting relatives and friends, reading books, listening to her favorite music, and exploring new places near and far.  We will all miss Kara dearly, until we meet her again.  She is survived by her partner of over 15 years, Jill Elise Smith, their son, Noah Harold Gilman-Morgan, her mother, Marcia, and her stepfather Daniel Hantman.  She was preceded in death by her father in 2001 who also dedicated his life to the field of education. 

A memorial service will be held at 6:00 PM Sunday March 12, 2023, at Riverside Temple Beth El, 2675 Central Avenue, Riverside, California 92506 with Rabbi Suzanne Singer officiating.  A reception will be held immediately following the memorial service in the Rosen Social Hall at Riverside Temple Beth El.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Riverside Temple Beth El or consider waiting for an opportunity to donate to the upcoming establishment of the Kara Gilman Memorial Scholarship.  More details about this opportunity will be announced at the memorial service.

Arrangements entrusted to the care of Akes Family Funeral Home, Riverside, California.   

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