Richard “Rick” Gillis, 79, passed away peacefully on Friday, April 3rd at home with his wife.
Rick was born on April 30, 1940 to the late Daniel Gillis Sr. and Mary (Slattery) Gillis in Lafayette, IN.
He graduated from Southwestern High School in 1958 and served in the U.S. marine corps from 1958-1964. On April 3, 2013 he married Georgia Ann Leavitt.
He was an avid Purdue football and basketball fan. He enjoyed spending time with his family. He loved the outdoors and was particularly fond of his walks at Munger Park.
Depending on how you knew Rick, there are different words you may use to describe him. Intense quiet, vivacious, rowdy, disciplined, firm, kind, and loving to name a few. To those who worked with him, he was a no-nonsense guy with a penchant for doing things the way they’re supposed to be done. No exceptions. A bit of an iron fist, he became a fixture at Kendrick Nissan, starting there before it even bore the name, and staying even after he retired. To say Rick lived life to the fullest would be an understatement. Those that knew him best can confirm that he didn’t just live his life, he power walked right up behind it, ran it over, and chased it down with a fountain Diet Coke. To his grandchildren, he was the pitcher for an impromptu baseball game, the steady hand on the seat of a bicycle, the eager opponent in a living room wrestling match, the blood curdling scream before the rollercoaster even started moving forward, and the mastermind with endless advice and obvious solutions.
He is survived by his wife, Georgia Ann Leavitt-Gillis, daughter Candace (Duane) McDonald, stepdaughter Kate (Jake) Beaman of Phoenix, AZ. He leaves behind 3 grandkids: Ryan McDonald, Whitney (Casey) Bell, and Austin (Kayla) McDonald. He has 2 step grandkids: Alexis and Matt Beaman of Arizona. He has 4 great-grandchildren: Waylan and Sterling Bell, Kashdyn and Torrin McDonald. He is survived by a sister Joyce Ann (Charlie) Fultz.
He was preceded in death by 3 brothers: John “Jack”, Daniel Jr. “Danny”, and Michael “Mike” Gillis.
There will be a Celebration of Rick’s Life July 25, 2020 from 3-5pm at Munger Park of Lafayette in the shelter. Family request casual attire. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations in honor of Rick can be made to the American Cancer Society.