Elizabeth “Gil” Gillingham Caruso, 92, passed away on Nov. 29, 2022, in Greenville, S.C. Gil was born on April 28, 1930, in Monongahela and was a lifelong resident of Monongahela and Carroll Township. She was the daughter of Harvey D. Gillingham and Nellie Paterson Gillingham. Gil was a graduate of Monongahela High School, Class of 1948. She attended the Barbizon School of Fashion Modeling in New York City while employed as a secretary at Bloomingdale’s Department Store. Having completed her courses at Barbizon, she modeled at fashion houses on 7th Avenue. She returned to Monongahela in 1949 and pursued fashion modeling in Pittsburgh under Maxine Blum at Saks 5th Avenue, Gimbels, Joseph Horne Co, Kaufmann’s, as well as private shows in the Pittsburgh area. Gil was an ardent student of antiques and collectibles and became a proficient collector. Following her employment as secretary of the Monongahela Chamber of Commerce, she operated Gil’s Antique Shoppe on Main Street in Monongahela for several years. Her second passion was cooking for her family; over the years she kept a current file of recipes her family agreed were noteworthy, which became the substance of the publication of her copyrighted “Four Seasons Menu Cookbook.” She was an excellent craftsman in ceramics and an accomplished seamstress, making custom doll clothes and a line of jackets, purses, and animals made of quilts. She also designed and made beautiful hooked rugs. Gil is survived by her husband of 71 years, Joseph Caruso of Greenville, S.C.; son, Dr. Garson M. Caruso (Vicky) of Mechanicsburg, Pa.; daughter, Dana Caruso Slagle (Randall) of Taylors, S.C.; brother, David W. Gillingham of Monongahela; grandson, Scott J. Shirreffs of Pittsburgh; brother-in-law, James Costa of Wesley Chapel, Fla.; brother-in-law, Thomas Caruso of Cleveland, Ohio; and numerous nieces and nephews. There will be no private viewing. Interment will be at a later date in the Monongahela Cemetery.
