Col John W Gillespie

Col. John William “Bill" Gillespie, USA, Retired, of Walhalla, South Carolina, died on May 1, 2019, at Cottingham House in Seneca, South Carolina. The Colonel was born in Walhalla on April 24, 1926. He was preceded in death by his parents John Burton and Maggie Abbott Gillespie and by his sister Frances Gillespie Todd. He is survived by his wife Inez Wilson Gillespie of Walhalla; his children Cheree Gillespie of Greenville, John Gillespie, Jr. (Susan Orlean), of Los Angeles, CA, and Pine Plains, NY, and Mark Gillespie (Penny) of Centreville, VA; and grandchildren Jay Gillespie (Gabrielle), Christina Gillespie, and Austin Gillespie. He graduated from Walhalla High School where he played many sports. He held a private pilot license. In 1943, he matriculated at Clemson College and lettered in football under Coach Frank Howard. After his 18th birthday, he trained as a bombardier in the US Army Air Corps. When WWII ended, he returned to Clemson, was on the track and tennis teams, earned a B.S. in chemistry (1948), an M.S. in entomology (1954), and taught chemistry before returning to active duty in the US Army Chemical Corps (1956). Until his retirement in 1983, Gillespie specialized in chemical, biological, and radiological warfare. He earned a B.S. in nuclear physics from the Naval Postgraduate School (1962) and graduated from the US Army War College (1972). His career included duty in CBRW research, teaching, Chemical Officer for the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam (1968-69), and commander of the Army Materials and Mechanics Research Center. Among his medals were the Silver Star, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross W/OLC, Bronze Star, and Air Medal with “V" device 11th award. The Colonel’s 93 years were full of tennis, golf, loving his family and friends, music, cheesecake, humor, Stuart Woods, nickel poker, and taking credit for spurring the Tigers to 2 football national championships by leading his Morningside of Seneca friends in Clemson cheers during the meal before each game. The list is not necessarily in order of importance to him. A funeral service followed by burial at Arlington National Cemetery will be on a date to be determined. Memorials may be sent to the Arthritis National Research Foundation via curearthritis.org/donation/.

Col John W Gillespie

April 24, 1926 - May 1, 2019