William Gilmer's Obituary
William J. Gilmer, October 23, 1915 – January 21, 2011. Mr. Gilmer was a highly devoted family man. He was married for 55 years to his wife, Miriam, until her death in 2006. His loving sister, Betty Lou Park of Vicksburg, MS, also preceded him in death. He is survived by two devoted and loyal brothers: A. B. Gilmer of Memphis and John K. Gilmer (Janie) of Olive Branch, MS. His memory will be cherished by his three children and six grandchildren: Joan Kelly and husband Ernest of Memphis, and granddaughter, Erin Maguire of Huntsville, AL; William W. Gilmer and wife Martha and grandsons David, Matthew, and Jonathan Gilmer of Oak Park, IL, and John A. Gilmer and fiancee Catherine Willner of Memphis, and granddaughters Laurel Gilmer of Newark, NJ, and Emily Gilmer of Memphis. He was loved and respected by numerous nieces and nephews. Mr. Gilmer enjoyed recounting stories of his life, especially of his early years growing up. Following are a few of the memories he shared his family in recent years: I grew up in north Mississippi, among farming folks. We had food to eat and clothes to wear, but we were not wealthy. Family and neighbors were the core of our society. Most of our food we grew for ourselves. Our entertainment was self produced, too. My mother sometimes strummed a guitar and people sang. Church was very important to us. I am a life long Presbyterian. When I was a little boy, our family belonged to the Old Hudsonville Presbyterian Church in Marshall County, Mississippi. We didn’t have a car, so my father, or sometimes my grandfather, would hitch up a team of mules to the wagon, toss in some hay for softness, and make the rounds through the community picking up parishioners who needed a ride to church. That wagon would be full of people by the time we arrived! Education was important, too. I started school in a one room schoolhouse. My own mother was my teacher for a couple of years. When it was time for high school, I had the prestigious privilege of riding the train to the school in Holly Springs. Later, the county offered a high school in Slayden, complete with a bus, and that is where I graduated. I continued my education at what is now University of Memphis. I was never a boy scout myself, but I saw the value of scouting as a young man. I was honored to serve as a leader in Washington, DC, as well as in Memphis. When my sons reached scouting age, I enjoyed a leadership role, encouraging them and several of their peers to achieve the rank of Eagle. I joined the army and was proud to do my duty during World War II. I served in England and France. In 1945-46, I was given the opportunity to continue my education at Merton College, Oxford, England, through the Training Within Civilian Agencies program. I was in charge of the office. It was one of the finest experiences of my life. My career became psychology. I worked mostly in social service agencies, including Youth Services and the Les Passees Rehabilitation Center. I retired from Les Passees when they closed their adult rehabilitation program, which coincided with my 65th birthday. After retiring, I enjoyed focusing on my family and doing volunteer work. I have been an avid gardener all my life and a pretty good baker of breads and pies since my retirement. I enjoyed helping keep the grounds at my church, Balmoral Presbyterian, and delivering meals for MIFA. A memorial service will be held at Balmoral Presbyterian Church, 6413 Quince Road, at 2:30, Sunday, January 23, with visitation immediately following the service. The family will also receive visitors Saturday, January 22 from 4-6 p.m. at Memorial Park Funeral Home. The family requests that memorials be directed to Balmoral Presbyterian Church or to MIFA.
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