Hilton Hanes Gillespie

Devoted Husband, Father, and Papaw, The Reverend Hilton Hanes Gillespie, 97, of Leesburg, GA, entered the gates of Heaven Monday, October 20, 2025, surrounded by his family.

A service to celebrate Reverend Gillespie’s life will be held at 11:00 AM, Friday, October 24, 2025, at Albany First Church of the Nazarene, Albany, GA. The family will receive friends Thursday, October 23, 2025, from 5:00PM until 7:00PM at Mathews Funeral Home, and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will follow in Spring Hill Church Cemetery, Whigham, GA.

Pallbearers will be Ben Beach, Calvin Collins, Tripp Mathis, Jason Gibson, Billy Mathis, Benjamin Beach.

Reverend Gillespie was born August 18, 1928, in Grady County, GA to Graton Cosmo Gillespie and Alta Edwards Gillespie. At the age of 17 he felt the Lord call him to preach. He attended Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN and immediately began his pastoral ministry. He pastored Nazarene churches in Hohenwald, TN, Nashville, TN (Center Church), Americus, GA, Wrightsville, GA (Mt. Olive), Barnesville, GA, (First Church), Columbus, GA (Downtown), Augusta, GA (First Church), Albany, GA (First Church and Grace Church), and Cairo, GA, (First Church). He was known for his positive spirit, firm handshake, gentle hugs, prayers that could touch Heaven, and his powerful “AMEN”. His faithful service to the Church of the Nazarene and the Kingdom of God has left an indelible mark on countless lives. His legacy will continue to bear fruit for generations to come.

Pastor Gillespie served as a chaplain and board member of Albany Community Hospice. He was honored for his work in the local community as a Martin Luther King Dream Award recipient in 2015. He was a faithful member of the Albany Area YMCA/Silver Sneakers and received the YMCA Treasure Award in 2024. He loved fishing, watching the Atlanta Braves with his wife, sharing meals with friends and investing time in the Georgia Nazarene Campground. But most of all, he loved being with his family.

He was preceded in death by: his parents; his loving wife of 73 years, Christine Mobley Gillespie; his daughter, Patricia Norton; his son-in-law, Bill Ploeger; his siblings, Mary Poitevint, Evelyn Eubanks, Dorothy Turner, William Gillespie, Gerald Gillespie, Earl Gillespie, Darwin Edwards, Louise Weiss, Callie Farrow, M. L. Forehand, Ronald Forehand, and Emily Sue Hickey; and his stepmother Blanche Gillespie.

Survivors include: his children, Alta Ploeger of Columbus, GA, John Gillespie (Celeste) of Edmond, OK, and Wendy Mathis (Billy) of Leesburg, GA; his son-in-law, Joe Norton of Woodbine, GA; his grandchildren, Tiffany Patten (Ben), Ben Beach (Tiffany), and Cal Collins (Josie), all of Columbus, GA, Amanda Norton Kehoe of Jacksonville, FL, Carly Mathis Gentilucci (Aaron) of Atlanta, GA, Tripp Mathis of Panama City Beach, FL, Candace Sturlin (Malachi) of Oklahoma City, OK, Lauren Gillespie (Shayne Morris) of Dallas, TX, Jason Gibson (Tatiana) of Locust Grove, GA, and Allison Young (Richard) of Macon, GA; 19 great grandchildren; 11 great-great grandchildren; sister, Loette Burger; sister in law, Shirley Gillespie; and, numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff and nurses at the Lee County Health and Rehabilitation and the Willson Hospice House for their devoted and compassionate care. In addition, a special thanks to Striffler-Hamby Mortuary and Mathews Funeral Home.

Memorials in honor of Reverend Gillespie’s life may be made to Camp Adrian and Conference Center, P.O. Box 489, Dublin, GA 31040.