Thomas J. Gilliard

Warwick, NY

Thomas J. Gilliard of Warwick, passed away at home on June 30, 2009. He was 74 years old.

Born November 23, 1934 in Queens, Richmond Hills, he was the son of the late Edward J., and Elizabeth (Johannes) Gilliard. He was married to Ruth (nee Zimmer) for fifty years.

Mr. Gilliard served with the U.S. Army during the Viet Nam War and was a 24-year member of the National Guard. He was a Machinist with Domino Sugar Company in Brooklyn. He was a parishioner of St. Stephen's R.C. Church.

A family statement reads: "Tommy was a very loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be remembered as hard-working and strong, but mostly as a "character" who was always the life of the party. He will be dearly missed."

Survivors include his wife, Ruth Gilliard; his children: Theresa Gilliard-Cook and her husband, Bruce of Baldwinsville, Laurence Gilliard and his companion, Radhames Mejia of N.Y.C., Bryan Gilliard and his wife, Robyn of Concord, NC, Thomas Gilliard and his wife, Kelly of Warwick, Eileen Childers and her husband, Jeffrey of Harrisburg, NC, and Jennifer Gilliard of Warwick; 13 grandchildren: Christopher and his wife, Tiffany, Victoria, Catherine, Samantha, Sabrina, Emily, Brittney, Alexandra, Rebecca, Bianca, Elizabeth, Kyle, and Bella; two great-grandchildren, Tristan and Zander; many nieces and nephews, whom he loved.

Visitation will be Friday, July 3, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Ave., Warwick; 845-986-4331.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, at St. Stephen's R.C. Church, followed by interment in Orange County Veterans Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be sent to Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Inc., 800 Stony Brook Ct., Newburgh, NY 12550 or Alzheimer's Assn., 2 Jefferson Plaza, Ste. 203, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.

For further information, directions or to send condolences, please visit www.lsvpmemorialhome.com.