Gerrie Schipske was born in the Long Beach Naval Hospital in 1950 and lived in Truman Boyd Manor and then Lakewood as a toddler. Her parents, transplants from the east coast, had met at the Pike while her father was stationed aboard a ship anchored in Long Beach. She grew up in Buena Park but returned to Long Beach in 1977 to work as the City's first Public Information Officer in the Office of the City Manager. Throughout her adult life she has served in appointed and elected office, receiving honors from The White House for being one of seven "Champions of Change for Open Government." She is the author of several other books on the history of her hometown: "Rosie the Riveter in Long Beach," "Early Aviation in Long Beach," "Early Long Beach," "Historical Cemeteries of Long Beach," and "Historical ABCs of Early Long Beach." Gerrie has taught at CSULB for more than 9 years. She resides in east Long Beach and is the proud grandmother of a remarkable girl, Brenda.