Harry T. Gillis III (Gil), Age 71, of Sanford, Florida, passed away February 4, 2019 at Hospice of The Comforter in Altamonte Springs after a battle with lung cancer that metastasized in his brain. Gil was preceded in death by his Father, Harry T. Gillis II, and his Mother, Rebecca O. Shahan. Mr. Gillis is survived by a son, John T. Wilcoxson (Jennifer), his grand-children, Haley and Troy Wilcoxson, and his sisters, Sally Gillis and Leslie Shahan.
A long-time resident of Sanford, Florida, Gil was born September 9, 1947 in Jacksonville to Harry Gillis II and Rebecca Gillis. He moved to Barnesville, Georgia as a teen, to attend Gordon Military High School, which was followed by two years Gordon Military College. Following college, Gil enlisting in the U.S. Army and subsequently was sent to Vietnam soon after.
His bravery during the Vietnam War earned him a purple heart. Furthermore, the discipline and patriotism he learned while in the U.S. Army and attending military school never left him, to that his family and friends can attest. Upon returning from Vietnam, Gil spent a period of time working on a shrimp boat, which was followed by a career in Georgia-Pacific’s lumber division, of which he enjoyed until his retirement.
Those close to Gil, know that he was an incredibly talented man with an amazing gift. A gift which allowed him to see things in a completely different light than those around him. The way he could look past visual aesthetics, only noticing the hidden beauty and character of things that had often been neglected, left behind, or, according to others, were completely worthless.
His gift was of particular helpfulness in 1989, when he acquired his home in Historic Sanford, Florida. In the beginning, the home’s inner beauty was nearly inconceivable, even to his own family. However, his wonderful gift, incredible refulness and savvy know-how are what allowed him to return the hidden sparkle to the “diamond in the rough” that he always knew the house was.
Gil’s superior craftsmanship, and creativity added to his ability to devise a delightfully refined masterpiece, a legacy, which will be enjoyed long beyond his lifetime. The many years of hard work and dedication that he put into his home ultimately resulted in a beautiful, historic home, of which he was proud to own. Gil’s astonishing talents allowed him to repetitively turn, what might have seemed like nothing, into a treasure that could, once again, be cherished by all.
Everything that he created can be directly attributed to his work-ethic, awesome skill set, and unbreakable determination. All of which, allowed him to show everyone what they had been blind to, the true beauty and charm that they, so often, had overlooked or disregarded. Service information for Mr. Gillis can be seen below.
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