Maria Malvina Erina Rella (Rena) was born in Grand Forks Sept. 14, 1914. The family moved to the Rella farm on the old North Fork Road when she was 3. She had four siblings, Ulisse, Eda, Emma and Elisabeth (Betty). They were a musical family and Rena played the piano and mandolin. Rena attended the Sand Creek School until grade 8 and later moved to Trail for secretarial training. There she met and married Jim Taylor who was a lineman for West Kootenay Power. They had two children, Jacqueline and Grant. Jim was electrocuted on the job in 1948. Rena returned to school, studied accounting and worked at Klein Furniture in Trail to support the family. She met Don Gillyean who was in the army when she lived in Warfield. He made a lot of dust with his motorcycle, which did not please her. They were married in 1956 and moved back to Grand Forks and went into business with her brother, Ulisse Rella. They bought Monterey Motors, where Rena did the books and Don and Ulisse repaired and sold vehicles. Rena taught many nieces and nephews to balance and post ledgers. She was president of the Business and Professional Women’s club, played bridge, was an avid gardener and knitter and loved fishing, and picking huckleberries and shaggy mane mushrooms. In her retirement years she traveled extensively and they enjoyed spending time with family and friends at their North Fork cabin. She died peacefully in Hardy View Lodge six days before her 100th birthday. She was predeceased by her husband Don in 2005 and daughter Jackie Hughes in 2014. She is survived by her sister, Betty Hovanes of Oliver, and son Grant (Linda) of Grand Forks. Grandchildren are Richard (Teri) Taylor, Laura (Thom) Liptrot, Bruce (Jauna) Taylor, Lynn (Jim) Stapley, and James (Cindi) Hersey. She had twelve great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. There is no service by request.