Thomas David Gillespie Jr.'s Obituary
Thomas David Gillespie, Jr., 76, died on Thursday, August 10, 2023. He was born Feb. 12, 1947, in Richlands, VA, and grew up in Tazewell, VA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Janis Kathryn Steel Gillespie and Thomas David Gillespie, and his sister, Gail Klyce.
He graduated from Tazewell High School after spending one year at Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, Va. He attended The University of Richmond and graduated from The University of Alabama. Roll Tide! He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity.
Tom was married for 52 years to his wife, Melinda. He had two children, Ann Katherine Gillespie Sullivan (Kevin) and Thomas Andrew Gillespie; two grandchildren, Tommy and Nate Sullivan and two nieces, Elizabeth Noles, and Katherine Klyce.
Tom worked for Quarles Petroleum for almost 40 years and retired as COO. He was a life time member of the Rotary Club and on the board of directors of The Northern Piedmont Community Foundation.
Tom loved music, especially older country music, Blue Grass, and Ray Charles, despite the fact that he had no rhythm and was tone-deaf. He hated vegetables and had absolutely no aptitude for tools, but he had a brilliant business mind. Tom was widely known to be thrifty and conservative with money. He was proud of the fact that he had a seamstress turn the frayed collars on his shirts and disappointed that his wife wouldn't darn his socks. He was a loving and faithful husband, a wonderful father, a hard worker, and a good and loyal friend. It was a shame that his mother didn't live to see that all her worry was in vain.
Tom loved Alabama football, UVA sports and he had a love/hate relationship with his golf game. He was an honorable, kind man and a true Southern gentleman with a wonderful sense of humor. He would have loved this obituary.
In lieu of flowers, Tom would have been pleased if, in his memory, you simply provide an act of kindness to someone who needs it. You can also send a contribution to the fight against Alzheimer's at https://www.alz.org/?form=alz_donate or to Hospice of the Piedmont at https://hopva.org/donate-online-now/
A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at Culpeper Country Club, 2100 Country Club Rd, Culpeper, VA 22701
An online guestbook and tribute wall are available at www.foundandsons.com
Found and Sons Funeral Chapel of Culpeper is serving the family.
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