Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Gilliland, Thomas "Tom" Calvin January 26, 20112 ************************************************ 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 March 28, 2015, 5:16 pm Lakewood News - Sat. Jan. 28, 2012 Thomas "Tom" Calvin Gilliland went peacefully to his everlasting home surrounded by the love of his family and his little dog Scooter, Thursday, January 26, 2012. Thomas was born April 14, 1927 to Bert Bever Gilliland and Elsie Mae (Kart) Gilliland. Tom was born and lived his entire life in the Lake Odessa area. He was a 1945 graduate of Lake Odessa High School. He married Jacquelyn M. Curtis on June 10, 1946. Together they raised five children. In 1946 he made a gentleman's agreement with Ray Fender to purchase his automotive repair business. When the deal fell through due to Mr. Fender's untimely death, he began working out of his mother's garage on Tupper Lake Street. This led to him and his brother Wayne building a garage in 1947 and going into business in what now is home to VFW #4461 Jackson-Mutschler & Auxiliary. After a few years, Tom became sole owner until he closed the business in 1966. He then went to work at the Boy's Training School in Lansing as an instructor. When that closed he transferred to Motor Transport until his retirement in 1984. Tom was a past member of the Woodland and Lake Odessa Lion's Clubs, Morrison Lake Country Club and the Hickory/Statesville Cribbadiers. He was a member of Central United Methodist Church and Altheinas, State Employees Retirement Association, American Cribbage Congress, Kaiser Frazer Owner Club, International Lake Odessa Historical Society, and First Families of Ionia County Society. Tom was always ready for a game of cards. He was never one to sit still, and enjoyed puttering in his garage, always having a project or two to work on. He was a Jack of All Trades, and a Master of Most. If he went somewhere he didn't know anyone - you could be sure he would have a friend or two by the time he left. During his lifetime he donated 6 gallons of blood. He enjoyed playing softball and was an avid Tiger's fan from an early age when the family would listen to games on the radio. He also enjoyed bowling for many years and developed a love of golf, after many years of stating he would "never chase a bleep-bleep little white ball around a field". Tom is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Jacquelyn; five children, Barbara Bosworth, Thomas Jr. (Jane), Terry (Jocelyne), Bonnie Mattson and Brian (Darci). He is survived by 10 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren, and his "little girl" Scooter. He was preceded in death by his parents and seven siblings. Visitation will be 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29 at Koop Funeral Chapel, Lake Odessa. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30 at Central United Methodist Church, 912 Fourth Ave., Lake Odessa. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pennock Hospice, 1230 W. State St., Hastings, MI 49058 or Central United Methodist Church. To share a memory of Tom, please visit www.koopsfc.com. Additional Comments: Obituary for Thomas Gilliland also appeared in the Ionia Sentinel-Standard - Jan. 27, 2012 and in the Lansing State Journal - Jan. 29, 2012. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/g/gillilan30311nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.6 Kb