Thomas Neal "Doc" Gillis

GILLIS, THOMAS NEAL " DOC" Thomas Neal "Doc" Gillis, a prominent Dallas Insurance executive, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, May 28, 2012 after a three and a half year battle with cancer. He was a beloved Son, Brother, Husband, Father and Friend. Mr. Gillis was born May 8, 1952 to USMC Captain Frank L. Gillis and Ruth Harris Gillis in the US Naval Hospital in Beaufort, South Carolina. Later was raised in Pine Orchard, Connecticut, where he developed a passion for football, sailing, tennis and basketball. He attended Hopkins School in New Haven, where he was on the varsity football, tennis teams and graduated cum laude. Tom earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Duke University in 1974. He moved to Dallas and became a marketing representative for Dun and Bradstreet. After which, he was a principal and President of Creative Marketing Corporation, Tom later began his insurance career as an account executive with Liberty Mutual in Dallas. In 1981, Mr. Gillis joined Wm. Rigg Co. of Ft. Worth as Executive Vice President. Since 1985, when he opened the Dallas office, he was also the Managing Director. The firm was acquired by HUB International Rigg in 2007. He was consistently the largest producer in the Dallas office and an annual winner of the Chairman's Award. He was a past member of the Board of Directors of the Independent Insurance Agents Association of Dallas, and a member of Bent Tree Country Club. He enjoyed tennis, boating, and was a proud 31 year franchise season Ticket holder of floor seats for the Championship Dallas Mavericks, basketball team. He was preceded in death by his father, Frank L Gillis and his cousin, Kimberly Goebel. Tom is survived by his wife, Tracey Comis Gillis and children, Tom Jr. 21, Cordette Caroline 17, and Charles Edward 12, his mother Ruth Harris Gillis, brothers, Frank "Chip" Gillis and sister-in-law, Margie Gillis, James "Rocky" Gillis, sister, Marjorie Gillis Bussmann and husband Kenneth Bussmann, brothers-in-law, James Comis, Darrell Comis, and Bill Empson and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. A mass was held celebrating his life on June 1st at Christ the King Church in Dallas.