Cecil Elmer Gillespie (2010)
DUNHAM, GEORGE, GILLESPIE, RYNER, SAWHILL, SHEETS, SOUTER
Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 7/29/2010 at 15:27:07
Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, July 28, 2010CECIL E. GILLESPIE, Winterset
Cecil E. Gillespie, 87, of Winterset passed away on July 21, 2010, at Winterset Care Center South.
Cecil was born on June 16, 1923, west of Pitzer on the farm of his paternal grandmother. He was the son of Raymond R. and Bessie Ellen (Sawhill) Gillespie. At the age of six months, his parents separated and later divorced. Cecil and his mother moved to the home of his maternal grandparents, James Wallace and Clara George Sawhill, where he spent most of his life.
He attended rural Madison County schools and graduated from Winterset High School in the Class of 1940. He attended Iowa State College until he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in November of 1942. Cecil was enrolled in flight training for two years, flying B-17’s to prepare him to fly the B-29 Superfortress. He obtained the rank of 1st lieutenant and was assigned to the 9th Bomb Group stationed at Tinian to make bomb runs on Japan. Cecil had flown 27 successful missions by Aug. 14, 1945 (V-J Day). He returned to Iowa State College in January of 1946 and completed his education with a degree in animal husbandry by March of 1947. Cecil then began farming in 1947 and raised purebred Angus cattle for over 50 years, which was his passion.
Cecil was a member of many organizations, including the Lions Club, V.F.W., American Legion, First United Presbyterian Church, Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite, Shriners, Madison County Cattlemen, and Farm Bureau. He had served as a District Soil Commissioner, was a past State Board of Director of the Soil Commission, and was a third generation director of Farmers & Merchants State Bank, succeeding his grandfather and father, serving 34 years. While in the Army Air Corps, Cecil was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and two Presidential Unit Citations.
On June 27, 1959, Cecil married Shirley Jean Souter of West Des Moines. She preceded him in death on May 20, 1998.
Cecil is survived by his sons, Steve Gillespie of Winterset and James (Michelle) Gillespie of Waukee; daughter, Lori (Dan) Ryner of Winterset; grandchildren, Marcus Gillespie and Amanda Ryner; and stepgrandchildren, Matthew Sheets and Megan Sheets. He also was preceded in death by his parents; stepmother, Edith P. Gillespie; and a stepbrother, Jewett Dunham
Services were held Monday, July 26, at the First United Presbyterian Church in Winterset. Burial, with military honors, was in the Winterset Cemetery. Memorials given to the family will be directed to the Winterset Care Center South Activity Fund or Middle River Hospice.
Funeral arrangements were handled by McCalley-Collins Funeral Home in Winterset.
Gravesite
Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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