Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Gill, Thomas Michael 2011 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com May 3, 2013, 11:06 am Portland Review - Aug. 28, 2011 Thomas Michael Gill lived in Elmira, Michigan and St. James City, Florida. He will be greatly missed by wife, Phyllis (Rusnell) Kelley-Gill; former wife, Alice (Wright) Gill; his children, Cathy Koenig Brown (Bob), Brenda Heacock (Steve), Cindy Pushman (Kris) Anita Kelley (Kurt) and Aloria Kelley-Saubert (Chad); grandchildren, Melissa Koenig Friedman, Rebecca Koenig Kooi, Scott Duffey, Sarah Heacock Zimmerman, Erica Heacock, Allison Pushman, Grace Pushman, Nolan Kelley, Karleena Kelley, Daniel Saubert, Hayden Saugbert, and Malorie Saubert; great-grandchildren, Caitlynn Duffey, Brooklyn Duffey, and Henry Zimmerman; brothers and sisters, Ken Gill (Nancy) Patricia Viola, Frank Joseph Gill (Kathy) Shirley Luntsford (Ray), Kathy Gochenour, Carol Michaels (Dave), Victoria Fugate(Ed), Michael Gill (Judy), Cynthia Ratajcak (Mike). He was preceded in death by his parents; children, Terry Gill and Pam (Dennis) Duffey; and brothers and sisters, Ralph Gill, George Gill, Artena Gill, and Mary Grace Gill. Tom was born in Toledo, Ohio on November 22, 1928. He grew up in Maumee Children’s Home, Lucas County, Ohio. Much of his philosophy of life was the result of nine years with 200 brothers and sisters. He graduated from Whitmere High School in Toledo, Ohio in 1946 where he also coached and refereed nearby Junior High Basketball. Immediately after graduation he joined the U.S. Navy at age 17 and proudly served from 1946-1948 on the Pine Island Sea Plane Tender Ship that was under Admiral Byrd which explored the North Pole. Tom graduated from University of Toledo in 1952 with a teaching degree and earned a Masters from Michigan State in Administration. He taught and coached in Rockford High School, Portland High School and Saginaw Junior High. He was a Principal in Springport High School, St. Charles High School and Portland High School. He was Personnel Director in Waverly Schools, Superintendent in Gaylord 1971-1987 and spent the last four years of his career as Superintendent in Marquette where he retired in 1991. In addition he worked for two years each as Director of Education and Training for Farm Bureau of Michigan and Instructor for Monarch Life Insurance Company in Massachusetts. Tom’s first love was “football”. He was quarterback and captain for Whitmere High School and was named all conference. He coached football in Portland 1954- 1959. He was the World’s Biggest Ohio State Buckeye fan! Tom enjoyed hunting, fishing, cutting wood, “farming”, golfing, and refereeing. He was devoted to his family and friends, and was always an advocate for children. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 11 a.m. from the First United Methodist Church, Rev. John Naile, officiating. A MEMORIAL GATHERING from the Nelson Funeral Home will take place on Friday, September 2, 2011 from 3:30-8 p.m. and at the church on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Portland Community Foundation Class 1959 Scholarship Fund, or to the charity of your choice, through the Nelson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1548, Gaylord, MI 49734. Friends may share condolences online at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/g/gill19897nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb