Ann T. Gillis

Ann T. Gillis (Tagan), of Milton, passed away Jan. 4, 2015, 2 days before her 85th at the Highgate Manor in Dedham. Born in Waltham, she graduated from Brighton High School. As the mother of a Downs Syndrome child, she was a very early and longtime advocate and activist of special needs education as member of what is now The Arc of Massachusetts. After raising her children she returned to UMass, Boston where she received her Masters in Social Work. She then embarked on a career in non-profit business management, most notably including the Television Audience Assessment Project under the auspices of the Harvard School of Education and as comptroller for the Life Resources Program for the Archdiocese of Boston. She has lived in Milton for over 35 years and was an active member of the Milton Council on Aging where she founded and ran the ComputerEase Group, one of the very first computer-support groups for senior citizens in the country. Photoshop was one of her passions and she produced a steady stream of one-of-a-kind greeting cards for all her friends and family for all occasions. Ironically her earlier passion was genealogyfor twenty years in the pre-internet era she followed a paper trail back to the Pilgrims, and therefore earned her membership in the Mayflower Society in Plymouth. She also loved travel, from Oktoberfest in Germany to whitewater rafting on the Colorado River and many other places in between. Beloved mother of John F.X. Gillis of Quincy, Jeanne F. Gillis of Texas, Linda G. Gentile of Medford, Andrew C. Gillis and his wife Arlene of Wash. and the late James Gillis. Grandmother of Argon and Isaac Gruber both of Texas, and David and Geoffrey Gentile both Medford. Pre-deceased by several brothers and sisters, Ann is survived by her brother Francis X. Tagan of Harwichport and sister Paula Mayer of Holliston along with several nieces and nephews. Visiting hours will be Friday 2 - 4 and 6 - 8. Relatives and friends invited to attend a funeral service at the Alfred D. Funeral Home, 326 Granite Ave Milton Saturday morning at 10. Burial Milton Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Milton Council on Aging 10 Walnut St., Milton, MA 02186 or to the Mass Special Olympics, 512 Forest St., Marlborough, MA 01752. www.alfreddthomas.com Alfred D. Thomas Funeral Home Milton (617) 696-4200