Godfrey "Jeff" Gwynne Godfrey "Jeff" C. Gwynne, 85, of San Luis Obispo, Calif., passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 26, 2016, surrounded by family. Jeff Gwynne was born on May 16, 1931, at "The Lilacs" in Hewelsfield, Gloucestershire. This 16th century rustic house was without running water, electricity or gas. As a child, Jeff spent many days enjoying the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean. He later moved to Shepherd's Bush, London with his parents, until the war in 1939, when he was sent back to The Lilacs for safety. He returned to London just before the war ended and he, like many others, experienced the bombings and rations of that time. In a letter, Jeff vividly described the V-Day celebration in London, "After six years of blackouts all the lights came on, people lit bonfires in the streets and everyone danced and cheered." As a teenager, Jeff enjoyed playing for a local football club and ballroom dancing at various London clubs including the Hammersmith Palais. He began work as an engineer apprentice for W. Ottway & Company, an optical instrument firm that was founded in 1640 and was paid 30 shillings a week, or approximately four dollars. As a young man, Jeff loved to travel and this sense of adventure led Jeff in 1957 to immigrate to Vancouver, B.C. He traveled aboard the Queen Mary from Southampton to New York where he then traveled by train across Canada. Jeff worked for Metropolitan Life in Vancouver where he met another London immigrant who became his wife, Beatrice "Betty" and they subsequently moved to California in 1959. They made their first home in Long Beach, California, eventually moving to Santa Monica where they raised their daughter, Christine. In Southern California, Jeff began his career in finance and ultimately worked for Union Bank for over twenty years in commercial lending. Active in his community, he volunteered at the local Boys and Girls Club, youth sports teams and was an active member of the Optimist Club. He began his passion for running in 1971 and continued to run many races and several marathons including Los Angeles, London and Honolulu. He later added bicycling and swimming to compete in multiple triathlons. He was a proud student of health and fitness and spent a lifetime improving his own and encouraging others. After retirement, Jeff and Betty moved to San Luis Obispo to be closer to Christine. He offered his business acumen to small businesses through his mentorship at SCORE for several years. His passion for health and fitness continued with his involvement in the SLO Roadrunners, bicycling around the beautiful Central Coast and swimming with friends at the local pool. Jeff was fortunate to realize early on the importance of enjoying life's journey and surrounding himself with a lifetime of wonderful family and friends that shared his enthusiasm. He was a generous man and always available to lend a hand or an ear to a friend. He was greatly loved by his family and friends both locally and across the pond. Jeff is survived by his beloved wife Beatrice (Dyer) Gwynne; his daughter, Christine (Gwynne) Tollefson; his son-in-law Michael Tollefson; and three granddaughters Sydney Tollefson, Hayley Tollefson and Macey Tollefson. Jeff was preceded in death by his parents, Stuart and Edith Gwynne. Burial will be at Hewelsfield Church in Hewelsfield, Gloucestershire, England scheduled for Summer 2017. Sign his guestbook at sanluisobispo.com/obituaries