Jerry Wilbert Gillis

January 17, 2002

 

Wilbert Gillis - beloved husband, father, and dedicated Club member leaving the Shriner's Show with his trophy!  

 

 

Jerry Wilbert Gillis, 60, of the Black Creek Community, entered into his heavenly home on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2002 at Memorial Medical Health University. He was born in Savannah and was retired from Kerr-McGee, having worked as a Millwright/Welder for many years. He was Vice President of Local 650, International Association of Machinist, served as Chief Union Stewart in the Maintenance Department and had served in the 165th GA Air National Guard. He was a member of Landrum Lodge #48, F.&A.M s, the Scottish Rite Consistory - Valley of Savannah, and Alee Shrine Temple, where he had formerly been a member of the Mobile Unit, and then the Cycle Unit. He was a member of the National Rifle Association the Dixieland Cruisers. He attended Calvary Baptist Temple. He was preceded in death by his father, Eulie C. Gillis. Survivors: wife, Dorothy Toler Gillis of Black Creek; mother, Mrs. Hattie G. Kitchens of Savannah; daughters and son-in-law, Kim and Craig Genereux of Fayetteville, NC and Nickole Gillis of Savannah; brother and sister-in-law, Eulice ChristopherChoppieand Janice Gillis of Winter Haven, FL; granddaughter, Storm Genereux of Fayetteville, NC; uncle, Eldrige Brown of Statesboro and a number of nieces, nephews and cousins. Visitation: 6:00-8:00 p. m. Monday at Hubert C. Baker Funeral Home, Hodgson Memorial Chapel. Funeral: 11:00 a. m. Tuesday at Calvary Baptist Temple, Dr. Mark Hearn officiating. Active Pallbearers: William Davis, Jimmy Marston, Terry Reese, Wayne Wallace, Kermit L. Dudley and David Jones. Honorary Pallbearers: Claude Gill, Robert Phillips, Randy Lucree, Larry Tippins, Harry Smith, Leon Fortner, William B. Mosely and Kevin McCaffrey. Burial: Brooklet City Cemetery. Remembrances: Shriner s crippled Children s Hospital, in care of Alee Temple, PO Box 14147, Savannah, GA 31416. Hubert C. Baker Funeral Home Hodgson Memorial Chapel
 

Wilbert Gillis passed away a few months ago and here is the article we published about this wonderful member with the help of his best friend and fellow Club member, Bobby Phillips.



I only knew Wilbert for a short time but will miss his smiling face in the years to come. I interviewed his best friend for about 40 years and fellow club member Bobby Phillips who told me the following about our friend:

Let's start with Wilbert dragracing at a local dragstrip in the late 50s and early 60s. His Ford Anglia is still being raced today by another friend. He also raced a 55 Chevy which was his dream car. Bobby was with Wilbert about 5 years ago when they found his beautiful 1969 Chevy truck. It was in really rough condition and took 16 months to rebuild. Wilbert bought another truck for parts and put a 90 Chevy bed on .. He took it to the bare frame, changed the front spindles to accommodate disk brakes, rebuilt the motor and transmission, installed AC, tilt wheel, cruise control, power steering, sandblasted the framework, painted it himself, did all the body work, and hired out the upholstery only. It has a 350 Chevy engine with a 350 turbo. It will be driven in the future by his son in law who is with the Special Forces and will be a future club member also. As mentioned before Wilbert's dream car was a 55 Chevy Belair and he had purchased one which is still being worked on: it will live on with his good friend Bobby. Bobby remembers his friend as a caring person with a heart as big as he was. He was a Shriner who lived his beliefs and helped many children. He was a family man, loved the club, loved visiting and eating Margaret's baking, the old cars and people in general. Wilbert it has been an honor and privelige knowing you and we will miss you!

Memorial Trophy awarded for the first time... in loving memory of Wilbert Gillis.

 

Memorial Trophy awarded for the first time... in loving memory of Wilbert Gillis.



OC presented Dottie Gillis with a plaque honoring her husband, Wilbert, who did so much for our Club... the Club voted to give a trophy in Memory of one of our departed members every year and this year we had Dottie pick the winning car... OC explained this to the crowd while Dottie and Wilbert's best friend, Bobby Phillips, looked on with the trophy ...

Dottie's daughter expressed her pride and thanks to the Club for honoring her dad .... Dottie and her girls posed with the 1st trophy to be given in Wilbert's name ...




Dottie presented the 1st Annual Memorial Trophy to the appreciative winner from Florida ...