James Tunney Gillian

In Loving Memory of

James Tunney Gillian

April 13, 1930 – November 27, 2024

James "Jim" T. Gillian, age 94, of Rome, Georgia, peacefully passed away on November 27, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on April 13, 1930, in Owens, West Virginia, to the late Isaac S. Gillian and Eva B. Gillian. 

Jim was preceded in death by his sons Charles B. Gillian and David S. Gillian, his sister Mary B. Bales, and several half-brothers and half-sisters: Mildred L. Simpson, Gertrude M. Webb, Virgil L. Gillian, Glennis G. Jeffries, Charles "Clement" Jeffries, Barbara A. Holland, Margaret A. Thompson, James "Harold" Gillian, Carl M. Gillian, Melvin G. Gillian, Kelzo G. Plumbley, and son-in-law Alan Law.

Jim was a United States Marine Corps veteran and later worked as a warehouse manager for Morrison-Knudsen, a civil engineering and construction company, for over 25 years. His job took him worldwide to locations such as Danang, Vietnam; KKMC, Saudi Arabia; Colombia, South America; Papua New Guinea; Watertown, New York; and Armuchee, Georgia.

In the 1970s, when he returned to Beckley, WV for a few years, Jim opened a small business called Jim-Bo’s Food & Beverage, which included a restaurant and a food truck. He was ahead of today’s food truck trend, often parking at coal mines to sell lunches to local miners.

"Mr. Jim" was known for always having a camera in hand, capturing people and special moments wherever he went. This passion was inevitably inherited from his father, Isaac, who was a portrait and family reunion photographer in WV. Jim loved gospel music at the Georgia Mountain Music Club and enjoyed meeting friends while exercising at the YMCA.

Jim leaves behind a legacy of love through his surviving family; his wife of 52 years whom he met in Vietnam, Mai “Amy” N. Gillian of Rome, and his children Diane L. Law of Meadow Creek, WV; Jamie T. Carr of Beaver, WV; Concetta “Mary” Williams of Beckley, WV; Pat W. Gillian of Princeton, WV; Catherine M. Purdy of Duluth, GA; Mai Lee G. Payne of Rome, GA; and Mark D. Gillian of Dunwoody, GA. He was also blessed with 17 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

A private family graveside service will take place on December 3, 2024, at Oaknoll Memorial Gardens. Family and friends are invited to gather at the home of Jim's daughter from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM on the same day. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Rally Up International Church & Ministries in Rome, GA, an organization that was very dear to Jim’s heart.

Rally Up

https://www.givelify.com/donate/rally-up-church-rome-ga-2j7wy5NjUxNzI=/donation/amount 

Military honors by American Legion Shanklin-Attaway Post 5 in Rome, GA.

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