Gil and Vi initially lived on Great South Road with his mother, Elfreda Plunkett. They later moved to Massey, Auckland, and then onto the Whenuapai Air Base. Their eldest daughter Doreen was born in 1941, followed by Yvonne, Raymond, and then Noelene. Doreen was schooled in the Air Base school until she was 7 years old, and then transferred to Hobsonville Public School. Yvonne also attended the Base school, but the younger two siblings did not.

Gil enjoyed tinkering with cars, taking photos, and making items on his lathe, which included jewellery from Paua shell brought back from the Pacific islands. Gil was not a well man after the war and by age 42 he suffered his first heart attack. While working between episodes, he never regained full health. He was a gentle man and well liked. Public source. AWMM