John E. Gilleland

JOHN E. GILLELAND died on March 22, 2013. He was born on College Hill in Texarkana, Ark., Jan. 7, 1920. John was preceded in death by his father and mother, John and Mary Preston Gilleland; his son, John Wayne; his brothers, Harry H. and William F. Kirby Gilleland (Dizzy) and the love of his life for 65 years, Marjorie Dunn Gilleland. He is survived by his daughter and son in law, Jane and Ron Newman of Nathrop, Colo.; his sisters, Myra Jo Little of North Little Rock, Mary Elizebeth Smith and her husband, Jack of Toms River, N.J.; his sister in law, Lillie Mae Gilleland of Page, Ariz.; his grandchildren, Ashley N. Moseley, Leabeth Campbell of Little Rock, Carly, Hazen and Zac Gilleland of Phoenix, Ariz.; five great-grandchildren, Gabe and Sophia Campbell, Luke Moseley, Cole Dotson and Caydn Gilleland, and very special friends, Dianne Suitt Gilleland of Little Rock, Katherine Gould of Phoenix, Ariz. John graduated from Camden High School in 1938 and began Management Training at F.W. Woolworth in Hot Springs, Ark. After two years training in Hot Springs he was transferred to the North Little Rock Woolworth. He met Marjorie Dunn while working at this store and they were married on Nov. 30, 1941 a week before the Japanese struck Peal Harbor. John joined the U.S. Navy on Jan. 22 1942. While in the Navy he attended William & Mary College in Norfolk, Va. and the University of Maryland and graduated from the Naval School of Hospital Administration at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md. When he retired from the Navy in July 1960, the family returned to Little Rock and joined Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church the first Sunday after they returned. John was an usher at the Church for over 20 years and Marge served on the Alter Guild. Both John and Marge served on the Administrative Board and were active members of the Upper Room Sunday School class. John was the first administrator for the Red Cross Blood Bank. Later he joined the sales force at J.C. Penney and retired after 20 years with Penney's. While at Penney's John and his son Wayne owned and operated a successful business, Mr. G's Men Clothier in Monticello, Ark. Upon retirement from J.C. Penney John joined Retail Management Service Automation as a management consultant to independent retailers in Arkansas, Texas and Kansas City, Kansas and retired from RMSA in Dec. 1999 and he and Marge moved to Nathrop, Colo. to be near their daughter. John's wife, Marjorie had a massive stroke Jan. 1, 2000 and was admitted to Nursing Care in Salida, Colo. John spent from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day with Marge at the Nursing Home and soon after returning home each evening he went to the internet for support. On the internet he met a friend who was a bridge instructor in Charleston, S.C. and he was directed to a website where he was assigned to a Retired Navy Captain who became his bridge mentor for four hours, four nights a week for six months and then instructed him to find a bridge partner and start playing bridge. John made many bridge friends from all around the world who will miss him. John was a Past Master of Western Star No. 2 Masonic Lodge, the Scottish Rite and a past member of the Ritualistic Divan of Scimitar Shrine Temple. Memorials may be made to the John and Marjorie Dunn Gilliland Memorial Fund at The PHUMC Foundation, 4823 Woodlawn, Little Rock, Ark. 72205 A celebration of John's life will be held at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 1 p.m. A reception will be held following the service in the parlor. Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.