Joseph A “Joe” Gillan
October 27, 2016
Father, Patriot, Believer.
Those are the words Joe Gillan lived by until the very last day of his life, on October 27th, 2016.
Born in Amsterdam, New York in 1940, Joseph Anthony Gillan was devoted to his three siblings: Mary “Dolly”, Gary “Bink” and surviving sister, Sheila. Joe’s father, Frank, passed away when Joe was a teen. Joe’s mother, Marie, kept the family together through many challenging years.
Not content to wait for his number to be called, Joe voluntarily enlisted during the Vietnam War. To those who did not come home, he still wants you to know, “You are not forgotten.”
He saw his greatest job as being father to Elizabeth Marie (Gary), Katherine Jane (Tommy), and Jennifer Ann (Jim). More blessings followed with his six grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Joe remained grateful to his former wife, Mary (Craig) Gillan, for the partnership they shared raising their three daughters.
For many years, Joe worked at Exxon, retiring after serving as a lobbyist in Washington, DC. Despite the fancy title, Joe liked to wear jeans and cowboy boots, eat a lot of pizza, watch baseball, and be irreverent with his friends. He was quite good at that.
Faith. Catholicism instilled at birth never left Joe. His devotion stood as the inspiration for many years of volunteer work with charities for intellectually challenged people. He searched his own soul, and tried every day of his life to live up to the promise of God. He would’ve told you that it was a hard thing to do. He never stopped trying.
Running was his thing. Joe finished many marathons, and even in the days leading up to his death, he recorded in his calendar all of his exercise routines. The author of two books, Joe recently started his third novel. Writing fueled his passionate search for beauty in this world. No doubt he is pounding away on his laptop from above.
Joe returns to his hometown of Amsterdam, NY for the last time on Thursday, November 17th. A funeral mass is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 156 East Main St., Amsterdam, NY 12010. Inurnment will follow at 1:30 pm, at Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, 200 Duell Rd., Schuylerville, NY 12871. Memorial gifts may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Arrangements are by the Riley Mortuary, Inc. 110 Division St., Amsterdam, NY 12010.
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