Gullan Irene Kolok, 78, died on April 19, 2017, after a short illness. Born in Skillingmark, Sweden on November 3, 1938, to Harald and Elin Bull, she emigrated to the U.S. in 1959 on a boat and promptly settled in Greenwich, CT, where her cousin was residing. She started working as an au pair and housekeeper for several prominent families in Greenwich, CT. She met her husband, George Kolok, at a dance hall in Port Chester, NY, and married him on July 27, 1963. They remained happily married until his death in 2003.
During her life, in addition to cleaning houses and helping to raise other people’s children, she also worked for a Greenwich catering company as well as the Greenwich Country Club, where she was a waitress. She slowly started retiring from these occupations in the early-mid 1990s.
She was an incredible person who was always around to lend a hand to her friends and family with whatever was needed: she would help paint and put up wallpaper when someone moved into a house; she would volunteer to throw bridal and baby showers; she would do errands and cook for someone if they were sick; she was a wonderful friend to everyone who was lucky enough to have known her, and always had time to listen when one was down, but also pushed people to get them back up; she would give her advice honestly on whatever the situation was, and usually, it was spot-on and logical, but she would give it in a way that was heartfelt and thoughtful. And she had a very sassy and sarcastic sense of humor too! She made many people laugh with her one-liners.
However, her greatest sense of pride was being a wonderful mother to her only daughter, Denise. As a mother, she gave unconditional love and support, teaching her right from wrong, and was always there for her daughter no matter what. When her daughter “left the nest” to go to college, she became very close to her new neighbors, Wendy and Michel Laurent, who had just had a baby daughter, Rachelle. “Aunt Gullie” became a second grandma to Rachelle, and Rachelle became a surrogate grandchild to her. “Aunt Gullie” would babysit her regularly, bringing down Denise’s old toys and dolls from the attic for her to play with, and continued to care for her as she grew up, always asking how she was, what she was doing, how she was doing in school....the caring and love Gullan had for those close to her was unlimited and unconditional.
Gullan is survived by daughter Denise; sister Runa Hedlund and her husband Eric; sister Ulla Tvetus and her son, Patrik; brother Christer Bull, his partner of 36 years Christina Wahlgren, and his son, Hans; sister-in-law Kerstin Bull, and her children, Maria and Anders (their father/Gullan’s brother, Bruno, predeceased her); and several grandnieces and grandnephews. She was also predeceased by another brother, Börje, and a sister, Gun Schyman, but is survived by Gun’s son, Ola. Gullan is also survived by her surrogate family, Wendy, Michel, and Rachelle Laurent, and Wendy’s mother, Shirley Young.
Visitation will be held on Monday, April 24, 2017, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Castiglione Funeral Home, 544 Old Post Road #3, Greenwich, CT 06830. Burial will be private. To leave an online condolence please visit www.castiglionefh.com.

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