Don Gillis Homegoing

Retired Director of Missions for Southwestern and Miami Valley Baptist Associations Don Gillis died Thursday, January 19, 2012, after a brief illness.  Gillis, 77, and his wife, Jeanette, felt the call to come to Ohio during their last year at Southern Seminary in 1960, and upon graduation they moved to Lancaster, where he pastored the Hubert Avenue Baptist Church for 14-1/2 years, followed by 2 years at the First Baptist Church of Huron, before being appointed by NAMB.  He served Southwestern and Miami Valley tirelessly for 25 years, retiring in 2000.  Gillis is fondly remembered for his love for people, strong administrative skills, and for being a peacemaker.

Visitation will be at Rolling Hills Baptist Church (5742 Pleasant Avenue, Fairfield, Ohio 45014) from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 24, and from 10:00 – 11:00 Wednesday, January 25, also at Rolling Hills. 

The funeral is scheduled for 11:00 Wednesday, January 25, at Rolling Hills Baptist, with Dr. John Beckett officiating.

Internment will be Thursday, January 26, at 11:00 a.m., at the Blue Grass Memorial Gardens, 4915 Harrodsburg Road, Nicholasville (Lexington), Kentucky 40356 (859-223-1223, www.bluegrassmemorialgardens.com).

Arrangements are being made through Avance Funeral Home (www.avancefuneralhome.com).

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Gillis Fund to benefit Southwestern Baptist Association at the Ohio Baptist Foundation, 9000 Antares Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43240.

Don Gillis is survived by his wife of 58 years, Jeanette (Galloway) Gillis; two children, Tim Gillis (Carol Harden) and Lois Gillis Brown; three grandchildren, Carissa Gillis, Brian Gillis, and Rachel Brown, and one brother, Bob Gillis (Betty Myers), of Marietta, Georgia and a half sister, Lucille Wolfe of Florida. He is preceded in death by his parents, John R. and Thelma T. Gillis, of Lexington, Kentucky.