CHARLESTON - Perry Roosevelt Gillespie, 77, died Feb. 12, 2008, at his home.
Born Aug. 30, 1930, in Henson, to the late Theodore and Sarah Smith Gillespie, he was a lifelong resident of Mississippi County. He was employed as head man at Ed Marshall Farms and was of the Pentecostal belief.
On July 15, 1949, he married Esther Fisher who survives of the home.
Other survivors include: three sons and a daughter-in-law, Perry Gillespie Jr. and Dewayne and Jackie Gillespie of Flint, Mich. and Harold Gillespie of Aurora, Ill.; six daughters and three sons-in-law, Bitha and Charlie Tucker and Kasandra Jackson of Flint, Theodia Gillespie of Aurora, Shirlyne and James Smith of Vicksburg, Miss., Sharon and Shelby Stiger of Atlanta and Nanette Turner of Sikeston; two brothers, Emmitt Gillespie and Larry Gillespie of Charleston; one sister, Margaret Nelson of Michigan City, Ind.; and 22 grandchildren and 47 great-grandchildren.
Visitation is from 6-7 p.m. Friday at the Williams Funeral Home in Charleston. Services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Opportunity Church of God in Christ with Steve Betts, pastor, officiating.
Burial will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery near Charleston.