Pop Pop

ack Charles Gillespie (Pop) died January 11, 2018 in Paducah, KY. He was 95.

He was born December 28, 1922 in Ponca City, Oklahoma to Charles Gillespie and Ethel Grace Firby Gillespie.

Pop grew up and attended high school in Tulsa, Oklahoma and moved on to Oklahoma A&M University (now Oklahoma State) where he majored in Chemistry. His education was interrupted by service in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. He returned to school after leaving the Navy and graduated with a BS degree in Chemistry and pursued a career as a chemist.

Jack and Frances married in 1946 and lived in Tulsa for a while before Jack accepted a position with Union Carbide which brought them first to Oak Ridge then to the project of building and operating the Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Paducah, where he finished his career. In retirement, they traveled extensively, spoiled their grandchildren and sampled the Purchase area culinary scene very liberally, always arriving at 11:00 for an 11:30 opening so as not to miss their favorite dishes.

Pop had a very inquisitive mind, always wondering how things worked and how they might be improved. He was always a great source of information on the most innovative new gadgets and gizmos, relishing, in his last days, the capabilities of his new Alexa. A firm believer in operational redundancy, he maintained a device-rich environment, improving each one with custom additions of his own, using an arsenal of tape, glue, paint, Velcro, cork, labels, solder and blow torch to great effect.

Jack was preceded in death by his wife, Frances Miley Carr Gillespie, his parents and his sister Mary Louise Gillespie Zahnhiser.

He is survived by his children Linda Susan Gillespie Miller (husband Fred Luther Miller), John Charles Gillespie (wife Rae Ann Waterston Gillespie) and Sandra Louise Gillespie Landry (husband Robert Landry), his grandchildren Joshua Gillespie Miller and his wife, Rachel, Lester Carr Miller (wife Aumaine Mott), Jessica Jordan Miller Clouser (husband Grant), Britney Gillespie McMillan (husband Will), Joseph Charles Gillespie (wife Rachel), Tarra Bergeron Landry Hernandez (husband Michael), Katherine Louise Landry Wadley (husband Brandon) and Wesley Harrison Landry and his great grandchildren Jack Charles Miller, Carrick Henry Miller, Luther Adem Holbrook Miller, Victor Hannan Fredrick Miller, Elsa Margaret Frances Miller, Dean Frances Clouser, Linden Grace Clouser, Stella Jay McMillan, Georgia Halls Gillespie and Adrian Jack Hernandez.

Pop was a member of the Lone Oak Methodist Church, where he and Fran were particularly committed to the church's music ministry. His passing will leave a huge hole in our lives, hearts and community, but our lives will be forever touched by having shared his.

Funeral services will be held at the Lone Oak Chapel of Milner and Orr Funeral Home, 3745 Old US Highway 45 S, on Monday, January 15, 2018 at 11:00 AM with Rev. Jason Jones officiating. Visitation will be at 10:00 AM on Monday at the funeral home. The family requests that memorials be in the form of contributions to the Paducah chapter of the American Legion 425 Legion Drive, Paducah, KY 42003. You may leave a message of sympathy or light a candle at www.milnerandorr.com.