HR0293LRB099 11483 MST 32547 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Gordon
4"Gordie" Gillespie, who passed away on February 28, 2015; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Gordie Gillespie was born in Chicago on April 14,
61926 to Earl and Belle (nee Ross) Gillespie; he attended Kelvyn
7Park High School and graduated from DePaul University; he
8served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Gordie Gillespie began his coaching career in 1950
10at what is now Lewis University, when he took over the men's
11basketball program; he remained there until 1965; he also
12coached the Flyers baseball team from 1953 to 1976 and was
13athletic director from 1956 to 1976; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Gordie Gillespie made 8 trips to the National
15Association of Intercollegiate Athletics World Series during
16his tenure with Lewis University and won 3 consecutive national
17titles from 1974 to 1976; in 1975 and 1976, he also coached
18Joliet Catholic High School to 2 of the 5 State championships
19that he won during a 27-year stint that began in 1959; and
 
20    WHEREAS, In 1976, Gordie Gillespie moved from Lewis
21University to St. Francis University; he was the school's

 

 

HR0293- 2 -LRB099 11483 MST 32547 r

1athletic director from 1976 to 1986; he coached the Saints'
2first women's basketball team in the 1976-77 season and was
3baseball coach from 1976 to 1995; he got back into football in
41986, when he launched the St. Francis program; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Gordie Gillespie never truly retired; he moved to
6Ripon, Wisconsin in 1996, where he assumed the role of head
7baseball coach, assisted his son in basketball, and took the
8Ripon High School football team to its first ever state
9championship; and
 
10    WHEREAS, After 1O seasons at Ripon High School, Gordie
11Gillespie came back to St. Francis University for his second
12stint as the school's baseball coach; he coached 6 more seasons
13with the Saints, retiring in 2011 with 1,893 victories - the
14most by a college baseball coach at any level at the time; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Gordie Gillespie he was inducted into Joliet
16Catholic's Hall of Champions in 2014; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Gordie Gillespie collected 2,402 coaching wins in
183 different sports over 61 years; he led teams to 4 national
19titles in college baseball and 5 State titles in high school
20football; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Gordie Gillespie was preceded in death by his

 

 

HR0293- 3 -LRB099 11483 MST 32547 r

1parents; his wife, Emily; his brother, Earl Gillespie; his aunt
2and uncle, Howard and Helen Ammeson; his cousin, Donald Ross;
3his 2 step-sons; and his step-grandson; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Gordie Gillespie is survived by his wife, Joan
5Hollister Gillespie; his sons, Bob (Penny), Mike (Connie),
6Gordie, Jr. (Patty), and Greg (Denise); his 3 daughters, Billie
7K. (Ron) Shimanski-Lipke, Margaret Mary (John)
8Gillespie-Koenig, and Jacqueline (Steve) Turk
9Gillespie-Horvat; his cousin, Doris Pretz; his step-children,
10Reverend Bruce (Susan) Hollister, Linda (Reverend David)
11Brown, Betsy (Don) Dvorak, and Brian (Priscilla) Hollister; his
1240 grandchildren; his 42 great-grandchildren; and numerous
13nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
15NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
16mourn the passing of Gordon "Gordie" Gillespie, and extend our
17sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew
18and loved him; and be it further
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20presented to the family of Gordie Gillespie as an expression of
21our deepest sympathy.