Jacob Gilmore

Our daddy. It seemed he would always be here... And he was... For 96+ years he was here! He was born in 1928, the same year Calvin Coolidge was president. But on January 22nd 2025 around the midnight hour, Daddy's body finally wore out.
Daddy was born July 20th 1928 in Peoria Illinois, the only child of Earl and Edna Gilmore. A year later the Great Depression of 1929 hit the United States. The exact timing and all the details are sketchy, but as a small child, he and the Gilmore family relocated to a fishing shack along the Illinois River in Renchville, Illinois. They lovingly named their humble home "The Green Gables". That home stood on the same lot in Renchville until just a few years ago when it was demolished. We don't remember Dad ever saying he grew up poor, but money wasn't plentiful. Dad told stories of fishing the crystal clear lakes of the Illinois River, sleeping in a tent outdoors to keep cool on the hot summer nights, picking wild asparagus along the ditches, and walking the tracks to pick up coal tossed out of box cars by the crew on the train. Those precious pieces of coal were taken home to throw in the stove to keep warm in the winter. As a child, dad had a bad case of the mumps which left him deaf in his right ear. Dad explained, "one morning I woke up from the fever and nothing, I couldn't hear anything out of that ear." It was so matter of fact, never complaining, no "oh, poor me". It's just the way it was. That's how Dad lived. Whatever life brought his way he took it on, always with good cheer and a positive spirit.
He attended Mossville Elementary School and Chillicothe High School, graduating in the class of 1946. Soon after graduation Daddy joined the army. It's still unclear how he passed the physical. He was tiny by today's standards. At only 5'7" tall, 98 lbs, and half deaf, he was not what you would consider an ideal specimen of a soldier. But a soldier he was! He served in Germany after the official end of World War II.
Returning to Renchville from the army, daddy joined his father in the family business, Gilmore's Sheet Metal. The business moved to downtown Chillicothe and eventually settled at 114 West Walnut Street. Gilmore's Sheet Metal was in business there until 1967. That's when Dad went to work for JA Fritch & Sons in Peoria. Daddy retired from Fritch in 1991 but continued to work servicing furnaces and AC units throughout his retirement. He worked well into his 80s. His last furnace AC unit installation was completed in 2018 at the age of 90.
Dad was a singer...not just any singer. He sang barbershop all of his adult life. Initially he sang with the Chillicothe Barber Shop Chorus in the late 1940s. He later joined the Pride of Peoria Barber Shop Chorus. That chorus produced and performed two extravagant shows per year for decades. Always the builder, Dad, along with his barber shop colleagues, built the backdrops for those productions. Each year he would attend the International Barber Shop Competition in cities across the United States and Canada. These events were some of his favorite times.... He loved being surrounded by the great talent and the strong brotherhood the Barber Shop organization offered. Daddy continued singing with The Pride of Peoria Barber Shop Chorus until the summer of 2024.
There were two significant women in Dad's life. Nancy Fitzpatrick and Dorothy Hindenlitner. Daddy met and married our mother, Nancy, in 1954. They had three perfect children.. Barry Jacob, Kelly James, and Holly Berlyn. The Gilmore family started in a one-bedroom apartment in Chillicothe but soon moved to a house on Logan Street. June of 1977, Dad started building a brick house in the new community of Hopewell Estates. Every aspect of that build was hands-on for Dad. He was swinging a hammer, pouring concrete, laying tile and installing fixtures into the late hours of the night, after a full day of hard service work with Fritch.
For a few years Dad was a single guy. He met Dorothy and they married in 1994. Dorothy, along with her three adult daughters, Pat Nelson (Jeff), Cathy Haedicke (Jim), and Laura McMahon created a new chapter in Dad's life. This second chapter included much traveling. Dad and Dorothy visited many places that included Hawaii, Alaska, Germany and dozens of spots in the lower 48. Dad, always looking for the next thing to do, took on another home construction with Dorothy. At the age of 70, a log cabin was built on the lot right next to the brick home built in 1977. The erection of the log cabin was completed in 2001 was Dad's pride and joy. As always, he worked day and night. From the foundation to the handmade cabinets, to the wraparound deck, Dad made sure everything was perfect. The cabin became the destination for many gatherings that included an array of friends and family. Dad remained independent in his log cabin until November of 2024. The last week of his life, Daddy spent singing hymns and sweet songs from the past with his children and grandchildren. "You Are My Sunshine", "Harvest Moon" (his mother's favorite), "The Old Rugged Cross" and "Amazing Grace" were the songs of choice. Always the singer, Daddy took the harmonies with ease, singing loud and strong. A true sense of peace was gifted to his loved ones, as in his last days he declared his trust in God saying "I know Jesus has got me' and reciting John 3:16.
Daddy made his own plans for his exit from this world. Always looking for the positive in any situation, he has donated his body to science. He appreciated the importance of education. Daddy also planned for no services. There will be no visitation or funeral per Dad's wishes. He never saw a need to worry over a situation. Best to deal with it and move on. Let this glimpse into his nearly hundred years on this Earth serve as our dedication and honor to our Dad and his life. We remember his positive spirit, strong work ethic, and willingness to be 'Johnny on the spot" for anyone in need. " Give 'em a hand" in remembrance of our dad would please him
He leaves behind his children, Barry Jacob Gilmore (Leah), Kelly James Gilmore and Holly Berlyn Vinson (James) along with his grandchildren Isaac Gilmore Kiefer and Gabriella Vinson. As a family of faith we hold on to God's promises. 2 Corinthians 5:8 "We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." Daddy is home...Until we meet again...