Gerald F. Litel was born on August 4, 1908, in Herman, Nebraska. He was a teacher and became a superintendent in three other states after graduating from Colorado State Teacher's College. In 1947, the Litels came from Wyoming to California, where Mr. Litel worked on a dairy farm before taking a vocational teaching job at the California Institute for Men in Chino. Later, he taught at Chino Junior High and subsequently became a junior high and senior high principal.

Superintendent Levi Dickey, moved Mr. Litel into administration, where he succeeded Mr. Dickey as superintendent in 1960. The enrollment in the Chino schools grew from 4,500 to 9,300 during his nine-year tenure. Mr. Litel's career went full circle as it ended as the principal of the adult program at C.I.M. (Chino Institute for Men), where his educational career in Chino began. Mr. Litel was also the president of the Chino Valle Historical Society.

When Mr. Litel retired, he and his wife, Cleone, became the curators of the Yorba Slaughter Adobe farmhouse. Mr. and Mrs. Litel lived at the Adobe before returning to Nebraska. They had one daughter and two sons. Mr. Litel died in 1996.