John Lindy Gillis
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John L. Gillis of San Antonio, Texas died on January 19, 2021, three days after his 93rd birthday. Born in Somerville, Massachusetts, raised in Brookline, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his 17th birthday in 1945. After the war ended, and after marriage to the late Ann Tagan Gillis, he set to work as a carpenter and cabinetmaker as a member of Local 762 of the Carpenters' Union. A committed trades unionist, he was eventually elected President of his local. His organized labor career was cut short, however, when, inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr., he tried to desegregate the union local and was recalled by the membership. For most of the rest of his career he was self-employed as a master carpenter. He lived in Helotes TX for many years with his second wife, the late JoAnn Tanksley Gillis, where he was active in the Lions Club and where he founded and maintained the Lucy and Charlie Brown Memorial Library. He was a regular blood donor for his entire adult life until it became medically impossible. He remained active politically to the end of his life as a loyal Democratic voter and activist, supporting every Democratic presidential candidate from Adlai Stevenson through Joe Biden, although fellow Bostonian John F. Kennedy was by far his favorite, amassing a collection of JFK books and memorabilia. He battled for civil rights, in opposition to needless American wars from Vietnam to Iraq, and served as a poll-watcher innumerable times. He never forgot his children's birthdays, always sending a card and always dressing in jacket and tie on their birthdays even when separated by thousands of miles. He is survived by his companion Mary Ellen Haefiger of San Antonio, TX. Father of John F.X. Gillis of Littleton, MA, Jeanne F. Gillis of San Antonio, TX, Linda G. Gentile of Springfield, VA, Andrew C. Gillis and his wife Arlene of Carnation, WA and was the proud father of the late James Gillis. Grandfather of Argon and Isaac Gruber of Columbia, MO and San Antonio, TX, and David and Geoffrey Gentile of Medford, MA and Lexington Park, MD. He will be interred with military honors at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX at 10:00 am on Thursday February 18. You may join the family via live stream for services on Sunset North Funeral Home Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/117497254977253 .
For online tributes and shared memories please visit www.SunsetNorthFuneralHome.com