James L. Gillis
May 11, 1948 - October 4, 2024
Beloved husband, father, grandfather, and brother, James L. Gillis, 76, of Franklin, MA, passed away on October 4th 2024, after many years battling Parkinson’s disease.
Jim was born in Boston, MA in May of 1948 to Lawrence A. Gillis and Ruth C. Gillis. He was raised in Canton, MA with his brother, John Gillis, and sister, Susan (Gillis) Falasca, where he made friends that would last a lifetime and met the love of his life. At the age of 17, Jim’s friend, David Webster introduced him to his sister, Jeanne, and it truly was love at first sight. They were married 54 years.
Jim enlisted in the Navy in 1967 and served as Radarman 3rd class on the USS Belknap during the Vietnam War. He served for 4 years alongside his friends, David Kelson and Herb Gates, as well as his brother John and his brother-in-law, David Webster.
Jeanne waited for Jim to return from service and they married in June of 1970. They started their family in Brockton, MA, raising 2 adoring daughters, Christine and Laura. They moved their young family to Franklin, MA in 1985, where Jim and Jeanne have resided ever since.
At work Jim moved through several professions, each of which called for his meticulous, keen eye for detail. He was a draftsman, documentation manager, and later a real estate title examiner. But more important than building an impressive resume, the thing he remembered most fondly was the close friends that he gathered along the way, especially his very good friend since 1975, Bob Blanchette.
He loved hiking and camping the White Mountains with his hiking buddy Dan Jones, playing racquetball, and family vacations at the beaches and lakes in New England. All while making time to attend his daughters’ school activities and concerts, and watching them become a Pediatrician and a Registered Nurse. Throughout their married life Jim and Jeanne traveled to many of their favorite destinations, most memorably Hawaii and Portugal, as well as trips around the country to visit friends.
Jim’s 3 grandchildren were a great source of pride. He would often be heard telling stories of their many talents and achievements, marveling at Colin’s expert restoration of vintage cars, admiring Lydia’s amazing artwork and theater performances, and cheering for goals at Anthony’s hockey games. Even when Parkinson’s began to limit his mobility, he was always able to enjoy his favorite activities, sharing meals, stories, and laughs with friends and family, and spending quiet, cozy nights at home with Jeanne, in front of a perfectly roaring fire.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanne (Webster) Gillis, daughter Christine (Gillis) and her husband Jim and their children, Colin (22) and Lydia (18), and daughter Laura (Gillis) Cardello and her husband Greg and their son, Anthony (14), brother, John Gillis and his wife Deborah and sister, Susan (Gillis) Falasca and her husband Harry. We could not have asked for a better husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend and we will miss him every day. We know that his memory will live on in the hearts of all those who loved him.
A wake will be held on October 16th from 4-8 pm at Casper Funeral Home, 187 Dorchester St., South Boston. Burial will take place on Friday October 18th at 12:30 pm at The National Veterans Cemetery, Connery Ave., Bourne, MA.
In lieu of flowers, charitable donations can be made to any of Jim and Jeanne’s favorite charities:
-Michael J. Fox Foundation: Donate Here
-WGBH: Donate Here
-Women’s Lunch Place: Donate Here
-Pine Street Inn: Donate Here
-Franklin Food Pantry: Donate Here