Joseph Asbury Gillespie

Joseph Asbury Gillespie

Joseph Asbury Gillespie of Brevard passed away on Nov. 29, 2008.
He was born on December 28, 1924 in East Fork where he grew up. He was the son of the late Elmer and Victoria Gillespie. He was a direct descendant of the18th century rifle makers and he was preceded in death by his brother Johnnie and sisters, Cornelia McCarthy Amick and Zandra Lance.
Joe was a devoted husband and father. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Avarie Helen Powell, daughters Deborah Bower and her husband David of Chesapeake, Virginia; Karen Finkenbinder and her husband Michael of Carlisle, Pennsylvania; and Marilyn Chapman and her husband Anthony of Rosman. He is also survived by grandchildren Katrina Spivey and her husband Steven of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Jennifer Meads and her husband Anthony of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Joseph Finkenbinder of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Nicholas Chapman of Greensboro, NC; and Rebecca Chapman of Rosman, as well as great-grandchildren Fletcher, Walker, Lexus and Landon, all of Virginia Beach, Virginia.
He has two brothers, C.E. Gillespie and wife Mary and Alvin Gillespie and wife Nita. He has four sisters, Reba King, Victoria Trent, Mildred Taylor, and Edith Joe Gillespie.
He was also close to his wife Avarie's brothers. He married the only daughter among nine boys and thought of them all as younger brothers. His surviving brother-in-laws are Stewart Powell, Pick Powell and his wife Irene, Donald Powell, Jimmy Powell, Gerald Powell and his wife Mary, Jerry Powell and his wife Bernice, and Harry Powell and his wife Carolyn of Transylvania County. Brother-in-laws Walter Powell and Keith Powell preceded him in death.

Joe enlisted in the Navy in 1943 during WWII and saw action in the Pacific during that time while aboard destroyers and he was awarded the Purple Heart. He spent several years serving out of San Diego, California until his marriage in 1953 when he transferred to the East Coast. But he always missed Transylvania County and regaled his children with his adventures of international and national travel. He was proud of his many nephews and nieces and often said that his opportunities to be around them made him want his own children. He served as a Navy Recruiter in Hendersonville and Brevard from 1961-64. He returned to Norfolk, Virginia in 1964 for a final Navy cruise through the Red Sea. He subsequently retired in Virginia Beach, Virginia where he worked as police officer and then later for the United States Postal Service from which he retired in 1986. He was active in his church, Plaza Baptist until Parkinson's disease prevented him from being as active as he had been. He took great pride in babysitting great grandchildren while still able. Though the disease robbed him of much of his physical faculties, he never lost his quick wit, love of great stories, and visiting with his family and friends. While able, he frequently traveled back to Transylvania County to visit kin and made it known to his children that he much preferred living among his relatives and family in the mountains.
As his health deteriorated, he wished to return to Transylvania County to die and to be buried in the family cemetery.
Funeral services will be held at Middle Fork Baptist Church on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at 11:00 am with burial to be followed at the East Fork Methodist Cemetery. Military rites conducted by the Honor Guard for Veterans of Transylvania County. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 pm Tuesday at Moore Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, 1501 N.W. 9th Avenue, Bob Hope Road, Miami, FL 33136-1494 (www.parkinson.org), or to TRC Hospice, P.O. Box 2440, Brevard, NC 28712.
To leave a condolence message for the Gillespie family, please go to "Obituaries" at www.moore-fh.com.
Moore Funeral Home is caring for the family.