Toni Gilchrist

memorial service

Celebrate the life of Toni Gilchrist

November 16, 2025

Watch the recording at https://tinyurl.com/tgilchrist4

Dan Gilchrist, dangmpls [at] gmail [dot] com

Lauren Gilchrist, gilchrist.d.lauren [at] gmail [dot] com

Mike Gilchrist, mike.gilchrist [at] protonmail [dot] com

Farewell to our sweet Toni!

Antoinette “Toni” Elizabeth Gilchrist (Besset), 86, passed away peacefully on September 10th in Minneapolis.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Toni’s brilliance as an artist was evident from an early age. She loved creating zany, whimsical art that sparked joy and laughter, reflecting the natural levity she brought to others.

Always curious about the world and open to new experiences, she trained and became a flight attendant for Continental Airlines in the 1960s, despite having never been on an airplane before. Toni met Gerry, her husband of 54 years, on a flight from Houston to L.A., where they connected over the novel “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold.”

When Mayo Clinic later recruited Gerry, Toni was charmed by a lovely springtime visit to Minnesota—only to face chillier conditions when they arrived mid-snowstorm in Rochester, juggling two toddlers and insufficient cold-weather gear.

Throughout life, Toni found kindred spirits, including close friends in “The Birthday Club,” with whom she shared decades of adventures near and far. In the 1980s, she hosted a monthly art-focused segment on Focus Rochester, a local public television show, enlisting a colorful cast of friends to demonstrate various arts (painting, gardening, cooking, bonsai, puppetry, even sheep shearing).

Toni possessed remarkable insight into people and situations; guided by her strong intuition and love for creative problem-solving, she helped those around her navigate life’s challenges and opportunities. She brought beauty and whimsy into everyone’s lives—including the 9th Avenue lawn that she and Gerry transformed into a wild garden/jungle (with life-sized plywood cow), inspired by Monet’s garden at Giverny. They settled in Minneapolis after retirement, filling their lives with family, art, theater, travel, and dear friends.

Toni loved her family more than anything, especially her five grandchildren, who will always remember reading, drawing squiggles, racing toy cars, running sidewalk races, and sharing belly laughs with their Nona. Toni is preceded in death by her parents, Anthony and Nancy, and her husband, Gerry, and is survived by her sister-in-law, Maureen; children, Daniel (Suzanne), Michael (Jessica) and Lauren (Robb); and grandchildren, Zev, Tellico, Tallulah, Arthur and Walter.

Infinite thanks to the Allina Hospice team and the incredible caregivers of Sisters in Harmony for their compassionate care during Toni’s final weeks.

To honor Toni, breathe deeply and admire the beauty around you, make art, or connect with someone new. Memorial gifts may be made to the Center for Victims of Torture or Anishinabe Academy, two organizations where Toni volunteered her time.