Thomas Stanley "Stan" Gills

Stan Gills CHESAPEAKE - Thomas Stanley Gills, 67, of the 2400 block of Watermill Grove, died Aug. 27, 2008, in his home. Stan, as his family and friends knew him, was born in Richmond, Va., and served in the Army during the Korean War from 1958-1962. At the age of 22, Stan began a career in automotives that would later turn into his love. Earning the nickname "Crank shaft," he learned everything he could about motors and auto mechanics and body work. In most cases, he taught himself. His specialty was in foreign sports cars, such as Porches, Mercedes and BMWs, to name a few. He got this ingenious idea to build a BMW tow truck out of a smashed up BMW, and with the help of some of his good friends, he made that idea a reality. The truck could be seen driving around town and was featured in several magazines. He was a fan and a participant of drag racing, breaking several records while doing so. Over the next 40 years, Stan would become a successful business man. His love for speed took him to the air, where he earned his pilots licenses at the age of 55. Stan donated his time flying for "ANGEL Flights" and the Shriners Children's Hospitals. He even found time to help save turtles by flying sea turtles to a hospital in Florida for the Marine Science Museum. He was the retired owner of Stan Gills Automotive Service. Stan was a member of Sandy Creek Baptist Church in Crew, Va. Survivors include his wife, Pat Gills; three daughters, Tanya A. Gills and husband Pat of Virginia Beach, Suzette C. Gills of Chesapeake and Sonya G. Black and husband George of Portsmouth; five sisters, Mary Frances Painter of Illinois, Marie Baca of New Mexico, Jeanne Phillips of Ohio, Brenda Santos of Virginia Beach, and Thelma DeLeon of the Philippines; three grandchildren, Ryan, Morgan and Brennan; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. A funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in Sturtevant Funeral Home, Bennetts Creek Chapel, Suffolk, by the Rev. Scott Benson. Burial, with military honors, will be in Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at the funeral home today from 6 to 8 p.m. Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.