Frank
Gillespie, 78
Thief
River Falls - Frank Gillespie, 78, died
Saturday, April 14, 2001 at Altru Hospital in Grand
Forks, N.D.
Funeral
services will be held at 11 a.m. today (Wednesday,
April 18) at Green Funeral Home Chapel in Thief
River Falls with Rev. Galen Sylvester officiating.
Joyce Halbasch will be the organist, and the
soloist will be Vanessa Anderson. Casketbearers
will be Kenny Parnham, Glen Stengrim, Fred Mykleby,
Tom Issendorf, Neil Gillespie and Jerry Parnham.
Honorary casketbearers will be all of Frank's
friends from Skylite Apartments. Burial will be in
Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River Falls.
Visitation
was held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17 at
Green Funeral Home Chapel Visitation will also be
held at the chapel from 9 to 11 a.m.
today.
Frank
Walter Gillespie was born on November 21, 1922 in
Pennington county, the son of Donald and Edith
(Hallin) Gillespie. He grew up near Rosewood and
attended Rosewood Country School. He entered the
United States Army Air Force and served during
World War II.
On
December 4, 1947, Frank was united in marriage to
Wanda Johnson in Red Lake Falls. The couple lived
in Thief River Falls. He worked for Farmers Union
Elevator and Soo Line Railroad, building bridges
for seven years. He began working at Arctic Cat in
the 1960's and went on to be the union
representative for International Woodworkers. Frank
retired in 1984.
On May 5,
1971, he married Anna Israelson in Thief River
Falls where the couple made their home. Anna died
on January 8, 1993. Since 1993, Frank had resided
at Skylite Apartments.
He was a
member of the Eagles and VFW and enjoyed golfing,
deer hunting and the outdoors. He was an avid
Vikings fan.
Frank is
survived by two daughters, Sue Parnham of Thief
River Falls and Shirley (Glen) Stengrim of
Westminster, Colo.; a stepdaughter, Nancy (Tom)
Issendorf of Thief River Falls; three stepsons,
Kenny (Rita) Parnham of Thief River Falls, Bruce
Parnham of Minneapolis and Jerry Parnham of
Anchorage, Alaska; two grandchildren; five
step-grandchildren; and four step
great-grandchildren.
He was
preceded in death by his wife, Anna; parents; three
brothers, Roger, Orville and Pal; and a grandson,
Tim Parnham. A00003B2000AP04
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