Lonnie "Pete" Gilliam

© The Bakersfield Californian

19 January 2005

Submitted by: Sandi Carter

LONNIE "PETE" GILLIAM
Services: Sat., Jan. 22, 2005, 2 p.m.

Lonnie "Pete" Gilliam, cherished and loved by his family, died at the age of 93 on January 15, 2005 after a brief illness. Lonnie was born December 19, 1911 in Sand Springs, OK to John and Lillie Gilliam. He was the fifth child of their ten children and the last of the six Gilliam "boys."

He left the family farm as a young man with his young family for California gold and found "Black Gold" "roughnecking" for years, he went to work for Atlantic Richfield and retired in 1974.

Dad and mom lived in Taft for 10 years and then moved to Bakersfield in 1961 to a new home with a huge yard and garden. Dad loved his garden and kept family and neighbors in vegetables and fruit. He did his own yard and tilled his garden by hand until he was 91.

Dad lived alone after his wife of 64 years, Gladys, died in August of 1998, until family moved him to Glenwood Gardens, Magnolia Court, the Alzheimers/Dementia unit, in 2003.

After family, he loved RVing with church buddies from the First Assembly Church. He and mom traveled to Europe, the Holy Land, and Hawaii. On their 60th anniversary, they took a Mexican cruise and won the "Not so new newlywed game" on the ship.

Mom also won the talent show by dancing the Charleston. She was 78 years old. They were celebrities for that whole week.

Lonnie is survived by sisters, Geneva, Denzel, and Faye; son, Rollie and wife, Sheila; daughters, Peggy Setloff and husband, Cecil, Pattie Healey and husband, Delbert; grandchildren, Jody, Jana, Kara, Amber, Debbie, Mark, Kasey, and Michael; 16 great grandchildren, and many loving nieces and nephews.

Thank you for the loving care given at Glenwood Gardens by Meeka, Tiffney, Evalina, Gloria, Maria, Delores, Alice, Anna, Vivian, and director Kathy Daniels. Thank you for your tender heart, Dr. Patrick O'Connell and nurse Lynette. His special angels, neighbors Anthony and Madonna Chance and Bill and Janice. The ladies at the downtown West America Bank who always looked out for him and the kindness of all the strangers that kept him safe.

Rest in peace dear loved one. Services will be held on Saturday, January 22, 2005 at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Doughty-Calhoun-O'Meara, 1100 Truxton Avenue.

DOUGHTY-CALHOUN-O'MEARA FUNERAL DIRECTORS

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