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In Memory

William Thomas III Gillespie - Class Of 1971 VIEW PROFILE

William Thomas III Gillespie

 

 

 

 

 

Willie Tommy "Heavy" Gillespie Jr.

Jan. 28, 1952 - July 23, 2013 SOUTH BEND - Willie Tommy "Heavy" Gillespie, Jr., 61, was born on January 28, 1952, in South Bend, Indiana. On Tuesday, July 23, 2013, Tommy made his transition from this world to be with the Lord. Tommy was born to the union of Marie Robison and Willie Tommy Gillespie, Sr.

Tommy was briefly married and from that union three sons were born.

Tommy graduated from LaSalle High School in 1971; he continued his education at Vincennes University. Tommy was employed with the South Bend Tribune; he left there to become a police officer on the South Bend Police Department. Tommy accepted Christ at an early age under the leadership of the late Rev. Bernard L. White, and remained a lifelong member of Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church. Tommy sang with a male group "The Sons of Joy."

He leaves behind to cherish his loving memory two sons, Tommy (Rebecca) Gillespie and Jeremy (Shelley) Gillespie, both of Elkhart, Indiana; his parents, mother and stepfather, Marie and James Robison of South Bend, Indiana; his biological father, Willie T. Gillespie, Sr. of Chicago Heights, Illinois; two sisters, Gwendolyn (Dennis) Copeland of South Bend, Indiana, and Charmaine Powell of Indianapolis, Indiana; three brothers, James Rochelle Robison of South Bend, Indiana, and Scott Gillespie and Steve Gillespie, both of Chicago Heights, Illinois; six grandchildren, Sevon Gillespie, Darrian Gillespie, Kai Gillespie, Nevaeh Gillespie, Brooklyn Gillespie and Leyanah Gillespie, all of Elkhart, Indiana; 8 nieces/nephews, Dana Copeland, Dennis (Nicole) Copeland and Denise (Nathan) Boyd, all of South Bend, Indiana, Glenn (Aquila) Powell and Timothy Powell, all of Indianapolis, Indiana, Angie Blake of South Bend, Indiana, Aja Robison of Chicago, Illinois, and Tony Boykins of Cincinnati, Ohio; 7 great-nieces/great-nephews, Che' Copeland and Dennis Copeland III, Corey Boyd, Caleb Boyd and Cameron Boyd, all of South Bend, Indiana, Maciah Powell and Malia Powell, all of Indianapolis, Indiana; and a host of other relatives and friends who all loved him and will miss him dearly.

Tommy was preceded in death by his stillborn son, and his paternal and maternal grandparents.

Funeral services for Willie Gillespie, Jr. will be held on Saturday, August 3, 2013, in Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 101 N. Adams Street, South Bend. Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m. and service at 12 noon. Burial will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. Visit www.clarkoneal.com to sign his guestbook. Arrangements entrusted to the Clark-O'Neal Funeral Home.

Published by South Bend Tribune on Aug. 1, 2013.

 

08/31/2022 EJS



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