THE GEE GEE BOOK: The Life and Legend of Outer Banks Icon Gee Gee Rosell

by editor Ray McAllister

THE STORY OF the late Gee Gee Rosell seems almost too-Hollywood to be true. How a woman who chose to spend more than half a century on a wind-swept, storm-battered island thirty miles at sea could make such a difference is, nonetheless, very true. It’s all in The Gee Gee Book, a biography written by three dozen authors, edited by Ray McAllister and published by Beach Glass Books. A portion of all book sales will be donated to a scholarship fund set up in Rosell’s name for island students. SHE WAS BORN MARJEAN. But when her sister had trouble pronouncing it, her name became Gee Gee. And her life was on. While her siblings acquiesced to parents, Gee Gee would go toe-to-toe with her Marine father. She was kicked out of kindergarten the first day—“not ready,” the teacher said of the pupil who preferred talking. Whether stubborn, strong-willed or merely focused, Gee Gee wanted things her way. She wanted to make a difference. She graduated with a forestry degree and headed for the National Park Service on Hatteras Island in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. A decade later, in 1984, she opened a bookstore there, in an 1860s kitchen house built from shipwreck timbers that she would repair. It became a treasure of an indie bookstore, renowned locally, regionally, nationally. Anyone walking into Gee Gee Rosell’s Buxton Village Books would find not only the perfect book or gift—but a friend. She cherished not only education, literature, the arts, and the natural world, but people and their dreams. She supported reading programs, local authors, business people, the island’s history and environment, endangered animals, and those suffering from alcoholism, breast cancer, or other challenges. With kindness. Without fanfare. WHEN SHE DIED suddenly in early 2026, thousands mourned. But they did not forget. Inside this book are more than three dozen inspiring stories from those who knew her best, fifty other memories, more than one hundred photos. Odds are you’ve never met anyone like Gee Gee before. Now you can.

260 pages, Hardcover

Published May 26, 2025

Reviews

[Jessica]

What a life well lived! I absolutely loved reading the story of Gee Gee’s life and about all the different ways she impacted Hatteras.

[Mary Radford]

I loved this book ! Gee Gee was a wonderful lady and, after reading this book, I wish I had gotten to know her better. I called her every year in early December to get gift cards for my daughter and grandsons for Christmas and she always chatted like she had all the time in the world to talk. She made sure she got the names correct on the gift cards and I told her we'd see her in the summertime when they came to vacation and use them. When we shopped there (always spending more than the gift cards covered) she seemed to remember talking with me and was glad we'd stopped in to shop. I had no idea she was involved in so many committees and activities in Hatteras until I read everyone's stories in this book. Thank you for sharing your stories and letting the rest of us "know Gee Gee" a little better.

[Kimmy Lucas]

My family and I have been vacationing in Avon since around 2008, extended family even longer. There’s always a ladies shopping day and Buxton Village Books is the first and most important stop. I remember Gee Gee’s smile as I checked out each year. I think I did ask her once to help me find what I was looking for. I am a shy introvert, however, and regret attempting a conversation.

I am thankful to the contributors of the book for sharing their stories of this Hatteras legend! I knew she was well-known but wasn’t aware of how many lives she touched.

[Kristi]

Although I very recently discovered Buxton Village Books and didn't meet Gee Gee, this book was a beautiful tribute to her life. It had thorough details from so many perspectives. I even shed a tear at one point over a lady I never met. She did so many wonderful things for Hatteras Island and OBX, I am confident that her legacy will carry on.