Arthur Gillespie Jr. of Carrier Mills

Arthur Gillespie, Jr. age 85, of Carrier Mills, passed away Thursday, March 15, 2018 in Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Ind.

Arthur was born on July 2, 1932 in Lexington, Miss. to the late Arthur Gillespie, Sr. and Rosa (Williams) Gillespie. On November 3, 1957 he married Betty Jean Winston and she survives in Carrier Mills.

Arthur was retired from the U.S. Army after 30 years of service and later was a Veterans Representative for the State of Illinois Job Services. He was a member of Harvest Deliverance Center, the Harrisburg Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans, worked with the police association and was on the board for RIDES. He enjoyed working on cars and was an avid car buff and he loved sports, especially the Chicago teams.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Jean Gillespie of Carrier Mills; two sons, Arthur Winston Gillespie III of Elgin and Andrew James Gillespie and wife Jessica of San Jacinto, Calif.; four grandchildren, Savannah Gillespie and Jacen Gillespie both of San Jacinto, California and Christian Gillespie and Amber Gillespie both of Elgin; 13 great-grandchildren, Alanna, Ayanna, Xavier, Autumn, Aubrie, Angelica, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jaden, Elijah, Amaria, Saniya, and Cherish; two sisters, Louise Irvin of Chicago and Irma Montgomery of Bolingbrook; and a brother, Alfred Gillespie of Elmhurst.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at Reed Funeral Chapel in Harrisburg. The Rev. Ownly Williams will officiate and burial will follow in Sunset Lawn Cemetery. Military graveside rites will be conducted by the United States National Guard.

Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at Reed Funeral Chapel.

Memorials may be made to the Harrisburg Veterans of Foreign Wars post. Condolences may be sent to the family through the obituary page at www.reedfuneralchapel.com.