Porterville school official dies, district mourns passing of a ‘champion of education’

Porterville Unified School District lost a longtime governing board trustee on Sunday.

Sharon Gill died due to complications from a medical procedure, according to a statement from the district. She was 73.

Gill served the district for close to 30 years, having first been elected to represent the high school district in 1990. She saw the unification of the high school and elementary districts in 2008 and was re-elected as a PUSD trustee in 2016.

“Porterville Unified and its students have lost a champion of education today,” PUSD Superintendent Nate Nelson said in the statement.

“Mrs. Gill has been a fixture in the community, touching the lives of countless families with her unbridled optimism and belief in the power of public schools. All of us fortunate enough to have spent time with Sharon were immediately struck by her deep love for the students she served with such devotion. I am grateful for her many years of leadership and will truly miss being a witness to the joy she exhibited in celebrating every one of our students’ successes.”

Gill is survived by her husband, Brent and three sons.

Schools officials said they would share information about services and arrangements when it becomes available.