Henry Gillie of Los Gatos, Calif., died on Aug. 15,2004, following a fall and broken pelvis. Burial with a military service was held at Los Gatos Veterans Memorial Garden. A memorial service was held on Sept. 9 at West Belmont Church, Belmont Township, Jackson County, for local friends and family, with Pastor Rachael Gusaas officiating.
Henry Gillie, son of Oscar and Marie Gillie, was born on Sept. 9, 1915. He wasbaptized as an infant at West Belmont Lutheran Church and confirmed at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Jackson. He attended elementary and Jackson High School, graduating in 1934. Henry married Martha Bianca of Hawthorne, Calif.
As a youth, Henry worked at Phillips 66 with Doc Martin and George Berner, andat Conoco with Homer Lanning. He assisted his brother-in-law, Garfield Paulson,in a commercial trucking and corn shelling operation. In the late '30s, he left for California where he became an employee of Northrup Aircraft. In the early '40s, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and after completing his training was placed on the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga in the Pacific War Theatre. The carrier was struck by two kamikaze pilots and a fierce fire broke out when fuel tanks were blown up. There was an order to abandon ship but the sailors would not give up their ship to the kamikazes, and after a fierce fire battle and many lives lost, they got it under control. The carrier limped back to Seattle for repairs and the sailors were given furloughs. They returned again to finish their service.
Henry and family moved to Los Gatos, Calif., where he began work for G.T.A. He retired from there after 27 years. |