GILLESPIE, Marlin F.

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 07/24/2015 Marlin F. Gillespie July 8, 1934 - July 21, 2015 Marlin Gillespie died Tuesday morning, July 21, 2015, at his home in Holbrook. He was born July 8, 1934, to Ellis Lane and Edna Gillespie, the 11th of their 12 children. Marlin married Joni Essig Feb. 6, 1959, and they had four children, Bill, Sissy, Shelley and Bobby. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, serving during the Korean War, and was a 59-year member of the American Legion. Marlin worked for the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office for 28-½ years, beginning as a deputy sheriff in 1957 and retiring in 1985 after 12 years as sheriff. He also served a term on the Holbrook City Council and was a member of the Navajo County Board of Supervisors for 11 years. He was a charter member of the Holbrook Painted Desert Kiwanis Club and Holbrook Elks Lodge No. 2450, a lifetime member of the Fraternal Order of Police and the Navajo County Sheriff’s Hashknife Posse and a founder and secretary of the Holbrook Emergency Food Bank for 35 years. He was also a founder of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Navajo County, co-founder of the Holbrook Interfaith Council with Father Lawrence O’Keefe and a member and past president of the Navajo County Historical Society. He was a member of the Holbrook Senior Center Board of Directors, Navajo County Juvenile Detention Chaplaincy Program, Navajo County Jail Committee, Salvation Army of Holbrook, Holbrook Festival of Trees Committee, Arizona Court of Appeals Commission, Arizona Criminal Justice Commission and Little Colorado Medical Center Board of Directors. He was honored as Holbrook’s Man of the Year in 1989 and 1999, and received the Joy Nevin Lifetime Service Award in 2006 and The Tribune-News Lifetime of Service Award on July 11, 2015. Marlin truly had a servant’s heart and is missed by all who knew him. He loved spending time with his family, camping, fishing, hunting, motorcycling the country with his wife, Joni, and giving service to his community. Survivors include his beloved wife, Joni Gillespie of Holbrook; son Bill (Karen) Gillespie of Heber City, Utah; daughter Shelley (Ken) Moore of Overgaard; sister Martha Rose Baca of White Mountain Lake; 10 grandchildren: Brian (TyAnn) Dowdy, Brandon (Stacy) Gillespie, Chad (Kim) Gillespie, Kyle (Erin) Dowdy, Megan (Randon) Matthews, Katrina (Bill) Cotten, Delaina (Braden) Price, Shelley (Brian) Reis, Shannon McQueen and Christopher (Trista) Moore; 22 great-grandchildren and many extended family members. He was preceded in death by his son, Robert “Bobby” Gillespie; daughter Elaine “Sissy” Gillespie McQueen; his parents; and 10 siblings. A viewing will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday, July 24, at Owens Livingston Mortuary in Holbrook. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 25, at the Holbrook Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Burial will follow in the Holbrook Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Marlin’s name to First Step Workshop, 210 Third Ave., Holbrook, AZ 86025; Painted Desert Kiwanis Club, P.O. Box 253, Holbrook; or Holbrook Emergency Food Bank, P.O. Box 580, Holbrook. Owens Livingston Mortuary of Holbrook handled arrangements. Those who have special memories and would like to send private condolences or sign an online guest book, visit www.owenslivingstonmortuary.