Mary Lou Gunter, 87, of Morgan Hill, CA, passed away peacefully at home on April 30, 2025. She is preceded in death by her loving husband of 59 years, Merwin Gunter, and is survived by her children, Shelli Bettencourt of Morgan Hill, Troy Gunter of Morgan Hill, and Britt Gunter of Gilroy, along with nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mary Lou was born on October 24, 1937, in Morgan Hill and spent her childhood in Paradise Valley, on the family ranch west of town. She loved growing up surrounded by the hills and wide-open spaces of the valley she would always call home. Her days were filled with the rhythms of ranch life—picking prunes, tending to chickens, cattle, and pigs, helping with burn piles, and collecting wildflowers. She cherished exploring the land with her brothers and cousins and remained deeply connected to the rural beauty and close-knit community of Paradise Valley throughout her life.

She attended Machado School, a historic two-room schoolhouse, through eighth grade, and was a proud graduate of Live Oak High School and San Jose State University. Mary Lou dedicated her career to education, teaching primarily 4th grade at San Martin/Gwinn Elementary School. A gifted and compassionate teacher, she touched the lives of hundreds of students with her warmth, wisdom, and love of California history.

A celebration of her life will be held on Friday, May 23, at 11:00 a.m. at Advent Lutheran Church in Morgan Hill. Donations may be made in her memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.