DOUGLAS B GILLESPIE
Douglas B Gillespie, 89, of Bluefield, VA, went home on the wings of angels to be with his Lord and Savior on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at Bluefield Regional Medical Center with his loving wife, Virginia by his side. He was born October 11, 1926 in Boissevain, VA and was the son of the late George W and Ida Mathena Gillespie. He was the last surviving member of his immediate family. He had been a member of Graham Christian Church in Bluefield, VA for over 50 years. He was associated with coal mining in Southwest Virginia and Southern West Virginia for a number of years. He not only worked in the mines, but was a salesman for Carmet, Pocahontas Fuel, US Steel #2 and Joy Manufacturing, retiring from Carmet in 1983. Doug was a member of the Bluefield Masonic Lodge-Harman Lodge #222, where he served as Master Mason and recently received an award for 50 years of service. He was also a member of the Beni Kedem Temple – Charleston, WV, the Bluefield Shrine Club, the Mountaineer Ridgerunners Degree and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was proud of his service to his country in the US Navy from 1944-1946, serving on the USS Nantahala. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his 6 brothers: Barnes, Bill, Buck, Bob, Tiny and Paul Gillespie and 2 sisters: Margaret (Dutchie) Joyce and Elizabeth (Libby) Murphy.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 28 years, Virginia Gillespie; sons: Douglas Gillespie Jr and wife, Margo of Terri Haute, IN, David Gillespie and wife, Marilyn of Greensboro, NC; daughter: Angela Gillespie of Roanoke, VA; step-sons: Roger Boone, Jr of Charlotte, NC, Richard Boone and wife, Rhonda of Matthews, NC, Bryon Boone of Houston, TX, Patrick Boone and wife, Gina of Tacoma, WA; mother of his children: Joann Gillespie; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren; his caregivers: Vicki Vencill and Nancy Brooks; several nieces and nephews.
A service to celebrate his life will be held Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at Dudley Memorial Chapel with Rev Gary Lyons officiating. Entombment will follow at Grandview Memory Mausoleum where the VFW Post #9696 and the Pocahontas American Legion Post #14 will conduct Military Grave Rites. Roger Boone, Jr, Richard Boone, Bryon Boone, Patrick Boone, Randy Wiginton and Jason Gillespie will serve as pallbearers. Friends are invited to visit with the family on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at the funeral home from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to the Graham Christian Church, Joash Fund, 1101 Virginia Avenue, Bluefield, VA 24605