Carl W. Gillespie, 78, of Gallipolis, Ohio died unexpectedly on Friday, September 7, 2012, at his residence.

He was born on April 10, 1934, at home on Cora Mill Road, Gallipolis, Ohio, son of the late Troy Coe and Clemmie Fuller Gillespie. Carl was a graduate of Gallia Academy High School, class of 1953. He was an U.S. Army Veteran serving from 1955-1957, spending one year in Iceland. He was a farmer at heart and was known for his fabulous gardening skills and sharing his produce with many friends and family. Carl was a member of the Rodney United Methodist Church since 1953, where he served as Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School Teacher, Lay Speaker, and chairman or member of various church committees. He loved gospel and country music, singing and playing guitar while he was in high school, in churches, and various other venues both as a soloist and with his band known as “The Country Drifters”, playing in Gallia, Meigs and Mason counties in the 1960s. He retired from Century Aluminum, in Ravenswood, WV in January 1997 with nearly 40 years of service.

Carl married Jean Allison Gillespie on Easter Sunday, April 10, 1955, and she survives. He was the father of Carl Marty (Sharon) Gillespie of Mt. Sterling, KY, Randy Jay Gillespie of Gallipolis, and Travis Allison (Theresa) Gillespie of Hendersonville, TN; and the proud grandfather of Powers Cobourn Gillespie, Bruce Colin Gillespie, Caleb Patrick of Kentucky, Sophia Gracelyn Gillespie, and Olivia Hope Gillespie of Tennessee. Also surviving are his sisters, Myrtle Grossi, Jean Wooddell, and Mary Sahr, all of Columbus; sisters-in-law, Peggy Gillespie of Columbus, Ohio, and Bobbie Gillespie of Gallipolis. Several nieces and nephews and other family members also survive.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Ishmael, Henderson, James, Frank and Troy Gillespie; sisters, Lola Salyer and Ruth McDonald; sister-in-law Ruth Gillespie; brothers-in-law, Ray Fetheroff, Ed Sahr, Arthur Salyer, Leonard Wooddell and Tom McDonald.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, September 10, 2012, at the Rodney United Methodist Church with Pastor Dan Lamphier officiating. Burial will follow in the Calvary Cemetery, Rio Grande. Friends may call on Sunday, September 9, 2012, at Willis Funeral Home from 7-9 p.m. A flag presentation will be presented at the graveside by the members of the Gallia County Funeral Detail. Pallbearers will be Marty, Randy, Travis, Powers, Bruce and Frank Gillespie; Honorary pallbearers will be Ron Allison, Ralph Hutchinson, Russell Fellure, David Mink, Eddie Harrington and Reed Blain.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Carl’s memory to the Rodney United Methodist Church.

Please visit www.willisfuneralhome.com to send e-mail condolences.