Essie Grant Gillispie

Essie Grant Gillispie

Essie Grant Gillispie, 86, passed away Sunday, Aug. 29, 2010, with her immediate family by her side. She was the wife of the late Lloyd E. Gillispie.

Mrs. Gillispie was born Saturday, Nov. 24, 1923, a daughter of the late Morty C. Grant and Mary Willie Garrett Grant. She was retired from General Electric.

She is survived by a daughter, Patricia Gillispie Canody, and her husband, Gerald; a son, Lloyd "Buck" Gillispie Jr., and his wife, Freida; and six grandchildren, Kathryn Canody Oates and husband, David, Kimberly Canody Shaffer, Jeremy Todd Canody and wife, Christy, Amanda Gillispie Blankenship and husband, Rodney, Kara Cook and Jami Goff and husband, Seth. She also has 10 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren by marriage.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was also preceded in death by a son, William Gillispie, and a daughter, Deborah Gillispie Childress.

The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, at Tharp Funeral Home, Lynchburg. A celebration of Essie's life will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 3, 2010, at Fort Hill United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Phillip Waltz, the Rev. Janet Hawkins and the Rev. Judy Morris officiating. Private interment will take place in Fort Hill Memorial Park.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Hospice House, 4413 Boonsboro Road, Lynchburg, VA 24503.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family, (434) 237-9424. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.tharp

funeralhome.com.