Kalil "Kal" Ismail Gezi

Kalil "Kal" Gezi
April 7, 1930 - November 20, 2022
Carmichael, California - Kalil "Kal" I. Gezi was born in Iraq to a Turkish mother, Jamila, and a Kurdish father, Ismail. He attended elementary, intermediate (junior high school), and higher teachers training college graduating as the top student in all of Bagdad schools graduating in 1950. Kal gave the commencement speech at the graduation and was awarded a watch from the King of Iraq. Kal arrived in the U.S. by ship from Italy. He attended Stanford University and in 1953 he graduated with an M.A. degree and in 1959 earned his PhD. He taught and was Chairman of the Social Studies Department of Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo. From 1960 to 1963 he was an Assistant Professor of Education and Director of Research at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles. In 1963, he was an Associate Professor of Education at Chico State University. Subsequently, in 1968 he accepted a position as Full Professor of Education at California State University at Sacramento, where he also chaired the department during his time there.
In 1968, he coauthored a book, Teaching in American Culture and edited a second book, Education in Comparative and International Perspectives. In 1972 to 1980, he co-authored and wrote eleven children's books that included multi-cultural children and adult stories as well. Further, Kal authored many articles on education and was chairman of several higher educational organizations. He taught in the field of education for over 45 years and retired in 2004.
Kal was active as an Elder in Fremont Presbyterian Church and enjoyed achieving the level of a Master Bridge Player accumulating over 2400 points in bridge tournaments. He loved to travel the world, which took him to India as a Peace Corp Director, a lecturer on many cruise ships and presenting papers all over the United States and in the Sorbonne in Paris, France with his wife, Charlotte Gezi.
He is survived by his wife Charlotte Gezi and his children, Vince, John, Robert, and Juli, and two stepchildren Nathan and Cindy Doyel as well as 12 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Kal was not only a loving husband, father, and grandfather to his family, he was born to be a dedicated teacher, as his kind, insightful, and thoughtful personality helped many of his undergraduate and graduate students reach their educational and personal goals.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Alzheimer's Disease Research at BrightFocus.org/alzheimers" target="_new" rel="nofollow">https://www.BrightFocus.org/alzheimers. Services will be held at East Lawn on Greenback Lane, Monday Nov 28th at 2pm.