Gregory Gene Bottoms

Gregory Gene Bottoms, sun worshipper, brother, uncle, friend, art aficionado, art dealer/collector, artist and traveler, died on Saturday, February 22nd after a brave battle with cancer, surrounded by loved ones.

Greg was a native son of Santa Barbara, born on March, 12th 1952, to parents Gene and Joyce Bottoms. He lived in Santa Barbara, a city that he loved, for most of his life, with short stints in Summerland and Hawaii. He attended San Marcos High School and the Santa Barbara City College Culinary Arts Program. He went on to work at several local restaurants, with his favorites being Casa De Sevilla and the El Encanto. He also worked for several years at the Bottoms Family Art Galleries.

While his primary passion was working with anything to do with art and that world, and hailing from one of Santa Barbara’s most artistic families, he unfortunately had to have a fallback position in what he considered the real world. He “toiled” for many years from 8-5 in various companies in the medical device industry and created many friendships in this field. Many who worked with him quickly saw his genuine, pure friendliness and were quick to bond with him for a lifetime.

Greg spent most of his vacations chasing the warm sunshine and visiting friends in Kauai. He also enjoyed traveling with friends and family to Europe and Central America. Throughout his life, Greg dedicated much of time to giving back to his community including delivering meals to those in need through Meals on Wheels.

Greg surrounded himself with people and things of great beauty. He had a lifelong love of fine dining, whether it be out in restaurants or cooking at home for friends, and he maintained an obsession with after dinner cookies when eating at home. An avid gardener, Greg had a special talent for growing orchids, and he kept a varied selection of succulents as well.

Greg’s love of sunshine, art, food and art (yes he really loved art that much), was surpassed only by the love he had for his friends and family. He had many lifelong friends and was militant in remembering milestone events about all of them. A birthday was never missed and one could set their watch by his timely, uniquely Greg, Christmas cards. He would be the first at the bedside of a friend in need, be it in illness or to be the first to hold a new baby. From a wild, rambunctious youth to a gentle, comforting, peace loving man. Greg’s loving spirit will be missed by anyone who was lucky enough to be considered his friend.

Greg was preceded in death by both of his parents and his brother Jeff. He is survived by his sister Kathy Cook and her husband John, his niece Danielle Drewisch, his uncle Bud Bottoms, and numerous cousins.

Many thanks to all who cared for Greg in the last few months, especially his doctors, the staff and nurses at the Cancer Center and his very own private nurse, Diane Johnson, who made his final vision a reality.

A private celebration of life will be held by the family on March 15th.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Surfrider Foundation or the Pacific Pride Foundation.