Gerald Gillaspie

Gillaspie, Gerald Whiteman Found release from the shackles of his failing earthly body on June 21, 2014 - a body fully spent in service to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Gerald was born August 29, 1926 in Worcester, NY to William and Ruth (Whiteman) Gillaspie as the younger of their two sons. He grew up in Oneonta, NY. An inquisitive lad, he was intrigued by small engines, cars and new fangled gadgets. As a boy, he fueled these interests with a full time job at a local filling station in the summer earning the royal sum of 10 cents an hour. During WWII, Gerald served in the U.S. Navy as a Pharmacist Mate 2nd class. He so wanted to see active duty but was laid up by an ankle injury the day before he was to ship out. After the war, he enrolled at Providence Bible College where he met Ruth Barbara Hoyt. On August 20, 1949, they married in Plainville, Connecticut. Gerald wanted to be able to help people in need and saw the role of funeral director as a key opportunity to do just that. Early in their marriage, Gerald graduated from the Cincinnati College of Embalming. However, as a young man he had committed his life to serve and follow God wherever He would choose to lead him and Gerald soon felt God's call to further his education in the areas of Bible and theology. Graduating from Southeastern Bible College (Birmingham, AL) and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (then in Chicago, IL) he followed the moving of God's Spirit into full time ministry. Ordained by the Evangelical Free Church of America, Gerald pastored churches in New Haven, Connecticut, West Haven, Connecticut, Williams Bay, Wisconsin, Waukegan, Illinois, and St Petersburg, Florida. Then for 17 years he and Barbara traveled around the world together, serving as a pastor to missionaries before retiring from full time ministry in 1991. In the years that followed, they continued to serve God by encouraging retired missionaries here in the U.S. His passion for knowing God and sharing Him with others never waned, so by the time Gerald left this earth, he had accumulated 4 earned degrees, one honorary degree, had authored 2 books, as well as an unpublished manuscript for a 3rd all focused on deepening his love for, and understanding of, the God who had given him life and had guided him through it. Gerald spent his last years at Golden Years Retirement Village in Walworth, Wisconsin and eventually Rolling Hills Place and Manor, Zion, Illinois, surrounded by his family. Gerald was preceded into the presence of His Savior by his older brother, Leon on January 16, 2013. His legacy lives on in the lives of his wife, (Ruth) Barbara; his 4 children, Donald, Ruth, Douglas and David; his 11 grandchildren, and his 7 great-grandchildren. Gerald is remembered with respect and admiration as a pastor, parent and friend, who lived a life of integrity, passionately following his God and lovingly encouraging others to do so. He will be missed on many levels by the wide spectrum of people whose lives he touched. Visitation at the Toynton Funeral Home, Walworth, WI from 6:00-8:00 p.m., July 1, 2014. Celebration of Life service at Calvary Community Church, Williams Bay, WI at 11:00 a.m. July 2, 2014. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Immanuel Church, 2300 Dillys Road, Gurnee, IL or Calvary Community Church Wisconsin 50, Williams Bay, WI.