William Bain Gillespie
February 11, 1934 ~ September 12, 2003
Resided in:
Leicester, NC
The Reverend William Bain “Bill” Gillespie, 69, of 653 N. Turkey Creek Road, Leicester, died Friday, September 12, 2003, at the Hospice Solace Center.
A native of Buncombe County, he was a son of the late Fred Crawford and Dorothy Scott Gillespie. Rev. Gillespie served as a missionary for the Newfound Association and pastored several churches in Madison and Buncombe Counties. At the time of his death he was pastor of Jones Valley Baptist Church.
He served on the General Board of the Baptist State Convention and served as moderator of the French Broad Association. He volunteered at the WNC Rescue Mission providing monthly services and also worked with the Craggy Correctional Center Prison Ministry. In addition, Rev. Gillespie operated a beef cattle and tobacco farm.
Rev. Gillespie is survived by his wife, Reva Hawkins Gillespie; a daughter, Gaylen Allen of Leicester; three sons, Charles Ray Gillespie and his wife Brenda, Harold Gillespie and his wife Jackie and Jonathan Gillespie and his wife Jill, all of Leicester; two sisters, Shirley Treadway of Marshall and Margie Payne of Chase City, VA; two grandchildren, Justin Gillespie and his wife Michelle and Brian Gillespie; two step-grandchildren, Casey and Jordan McAninch; two great-grandchildren, Caleb and Cole Gillespie; three nephews in Virginia and two nieces in Asheville.
Funeral services will be 2:00 pm Monday at Turkey Creek Baptist Church with the Revs. Danny Little, Gerald Sprinkle and Gordon Ball officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Matthew Sams, Howard Self, Bill Brown, Tom Dorsey, Von Plemmons, Charles Phillips, Jackie Collins and Ricky Townsend serving as pallbearers.
His family will receive friends from 6:00-9:00 pm Sunday at Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue and at other times will be at the residence. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Jones Valley Baptist Church, 107 Big Sandy Mush Road, Leicester, NC 28748; Turkey Creek Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, PO Box 570, Leicester, NC 28748 or Chestnut Grove Baptist Church Building Fund, 7 Mayrand Drive, Leicester, NC 28748.
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Charles and Family,
We are so sorry to hear about the death of your Father. May you find comfort in knowing your loved one is with God, resting in peace.
To Reva & Family:
We mourn with you all in the passing of one whom we all loved dearly. Bill was such a blessing to so many of us. May God be with you and shed His grace upon you richly during this time. We love you all…
DEAR REVA AND FAMILY,
PLEASE KNOW THAT OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU ALL. BILL WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO LISTEN IF YOU HAD A PROBLEM OR LEND A HELPING HAND IF NEEDED. HE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM. MAY YOUR MEMORIES HELP GET YOU THOURGH THESE DIFFICULT TIMES. IF YOU NEED US FOR ANYTHING CALL AND WE’LL BE THERE.
LOVE AND PRAYERS,
STEVE,SHARON,CRYSTAL AND CHAD ROBERSON
We are so sorry for your loss of a great servant for the cause of Christ, kind loving Husband and Father.My memories were from my childhood living nearby as a child and teenager. Always a smile and a kind word when met on the road or at church. We will be praying for you God Bless you Family
I am so sorry to hear about Mr. Gillespie. It’s seems as though we went through some tough times together at the hospital and hospice. please forgive me for not coming to the funeral home or funeral. it’s been too soon after Daddy’s death i just don’t believe i could face it, but please know my heart goes out to each and everyone of you and thank you for all your support during my Daddy’s illness.
Our deepest sympathies to you and your family in the passing of your loved one. We will cherish our memories of our times with Bill and look forward to seeing him again in our final home.
E.M.Pettit
Kelly Sams
My prayers are with your family at this difficult time. May God hold you close in His love. Cathie
Wish we could be with you on Monday.
Our trips to the mountains won’t be the same without the word of the Lord spoken through Billy. We always looked forwarded to how the Lord was speaking through Billy. Our prayers and thoughts are with you this day and the days ahead.
We were truly sorry about Bill’s sickness and death. He was truly a wonderful person and friend. May God bless, comfort and fill the void this will leave in your lives.
We were by the funeral home before six and couldn’t get into the parking lot.
We are deeply saddened over Bill’s death, but we are praising God that he is now in Heaven rejoicing with the angels. Our prayers and thoughts are with you during this time. May God guide and comfort you in the days ahead.
Ted & Shirley Godleski
We would like to offer our deepest sympathy to you during this time. Bill was truly a fine man and he will be missed by many people. However, it is great to know that he has finally arrived in the place that he has been longing all his life and to meet the God he most faithfully served. We pray that God will keep you in His comfort and care during these times. May God bless you.
Marty, Sandra, & Ella Jane Rice
You are in our thoughts and most importantly our prayers.
Love
Linda Jo and Megan Sutton
Dear Reva and family,
I am sorry to hear about Bill, I know you must be in great pain for the loss of your lifetime companion.
Losing our loved ones is never easy, but when we know that they are ready to meet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we can be comforted in knowing that they are free from pain and sorrow.
We will keep you and the family in our prayers. May God comfort and give you peace.
Love, Helen
Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time.
Gaylen & family,
You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Bill will be greatly missed. He wed my husband and I 7 years ago this September. He was always joyful and upbeat about life. I never seen him without a smile or a kind word for anyone that he met. My thoughts and prayers are with the family as they go through this diffcult time. May God keep you in his embrace as you come to terms with this loss.
Karen Luther
Our sincerest sympathy to all the family. God Bless each of you.
May you find peace that Bill is in a far better place. Prayers, Hazel
and The Winston Cassada Family
To Bill’s Family,
Like a lot of others, we could not get to the funeral home but we wanted you to know how much we loved Bill and all of you. A better man has never lived. Our lose is heaven’s gain. You are and will be in our prayers.
Love Joe & Peggy Parham
Reva,
My prayers and thoughts are with you. I am so sorry for your loss.
Hope you remember me, you were always one of my favorite friends.
Love, Clara Lou Culbertson Hines
Jonathan,
Please accept our apologies and deepest condolences in the passing of your father. It was quite obvious from the thousands of people there last night that he was thought of in the highest regard. I hope you understand, that with a three year old that kind of wait was very difficult. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. God Bless You!
Johnny,Cindi and Carlee Willis
APPRECITATED HIM AND WHAT HE BELIVED
IN AND STOOD FOR. FILLED IN AT OUR
CHURCH WALNUT MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH ONE TIME IN THE 80’S. WE ARE
SORRY TO HIS FAMILY BUT WE KNOW HEAVEN IS HIS GREAT REWARD.
Ms. Reva, I am so sorry about Mr. Bill. He was a wonderful person. My Prayers are with you and your family.
Dear Reva and family, Our deepest sympathy in the loss of Bill. He was a wonderful person and will be greatly missed. We came by the funeral home last night but because of health problems, was unable to wait in line. Any one could see how well thought of he was by the people there. Again our deepest sympathy. Elmer Parham & Earl & Shirley Clark
Gillespie Family,
What a blessing for me to have had the opportunity to know your Mr. Bill. I have so many fond memories of him and all of you.
My heartfelt sympathy to you and please be assured you are in my prayers and will continue to be.
Reva and family, Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Bill was a special person to us and a good friend to everyone.
Dear Sister Reva & Family,
Our sincere regrets and condolences
at the passing of this much beloved
Christian Gentleman and faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Will always remember his ruddy smile and good example of what Christian character should be. He was a bless to all he touched. We cry with you but rejoice at the thought of our next Great Reunion
together. Bud/Anne Haddock Max Patch Mtn.
Charles & family,
I just heard about the loss of your father, and I am sorry for the pain you must each go through.You and your family are in our prayers, through this most dificult time…Take honor in knowing your daddy, loved, honored and served the Lord, and he is now reaping his heavenly rewards, a life of no pain, sorrow or suffering.A life of complete joy, with our Lord and Savior..God bless you!!!
Stan & family
May God bless each and every member of this family. We love you all and we know God loves you. Billy had a heart for the lost and praise God for that. God Bless.
My thoughts and prayers are with you. I worked with Gaylen at the Buncombe County Health Center and I am thinking of her at this time.