James G. Gillespie

James G. Gillespie, 85, of Christiansburg, Va., passed away on Tuesday, July 7, 2009. He was preceded in death by brothers, Garfield Gillespie and Harold Gillespie; sisters, Joyce Bowen, Phyllis Meredith, and Janet Meredith; daughter, Sandra G. Johnson; and granddaughter, Sarah Colley. He was born on June 2, 1924, in Ada, W.Va., to the late William Jennings and Bertie Pennington Gillespie. He joined the United States Navy in December of 1941 where he served as a Coxswain-Boatsman on LCT for troop movements in the Asiatic and Pacific Theatres. He served in New Guinea, Okinawa, Sipan, and Japan during World War II.
After his discharge from the Navy in 1945, he met and married Betty Zane Hodges from Thornhill, W.Va. After briefly living in Longview, Wash., they eventually settled in Christiansburg, Va., where Jim was employed with Radford Army Ammunitions Plant until his retirement in 1975.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Zane Hodges Gillespie; four daughters and sons-in-law, Donna and Alvie Cullop, of Roanoke, Va., Debbie and Stanley Coley, of Christiansburg, Va., Sue and Walter Baumoel, of Roanoke, Va., and Cecile and Brian Beverage, of Troutville, Va.; 10 grandchildren, Brian Cullop, Zac Cullop, Christy Wallace, Stacey Crowder, Phaydra Epperly, Travis Colley, Aaron, Lindsey, and Abby Baumoel, and Austin Beverage; 11 greatgrandchildren, Kara and Lacee Cullop, Andrew Cullop, Alexa Smith, Ashton Crowder, Danielle Keesee, Kayla and Maggie Criner, Eli and Abby Wallace, and Tripp Cullop; one great-great-grandson, Mason Cullop; brother and sister-in-law, Herbert and Bonnie Gillespie, of Radford, Va.; sister and brother-in-law, Freda and Travis Quesenberry, of Gulfport, Miss.; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Mitzi and Clyde East, of McDowell, W.Va.; and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Jim loved life and lived it to the fullest. He never met a stranger. He will be remembered by his humor and pranks. He loved his family and friends, especially all his camping buddies. His greatest concern was that no one ever went hungry. The family would like to thank Ken Murdock for his special support and Roger Carroll for his spiritual support.
The family will receive friends from 5 until 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, 2009, at Horne Funeral Home. A funeral service will be conducted 2 p.m. on Friday, July 10, 2009, at Belview United Methodist Church with the Rev. Aaron Finch and the Rev. Sebert Rorrer officiating. Interment will follow in Roselawn Memorial Gardens.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, that memorial contributions be made to S.W. Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank, 1025 Electric Road, Roanoke, Va. 24153 or Carilion Hospice of The New River Valley, 111 West Main Street, Christiansburg, Va. 24073. The Gillespie family is being served by Horne Funeral Home, Christiansburg, Va. Online condolences may be sent at www.hornefuneralservice.com.