of Warwick, passed away at home on June 30, 2009. He was 74 years old.
Born on November 23, 1934 in Queens, Richmond Hills, he was the son of the late Edward J., and Elizabeth (Johannes) Gilliard.
He was married to Ruth (nee Zimmer) for fifty years.
Mr. Gilliard served with the US Army during the Viet Nam War and was a 24 year member of the National Guard. He was a Machinist with Domino Sugar Company in Brooklyn. He was a parishioner of St. Stephens RC Church.
A family statement reads: “Tommy was a very loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be remembered as hard-working and strong, but mostly as a “character” who was always the life of the party. He will be dearly missed.”
He is survived by his wife, Ruth Gilliard; his children: Theresa Gilliard-Cook and her husband Bruce of Baldwinsville, Laurence Gilliard and his companion Radhames Mejia of NYC, Bryan Gilliard and his wife Robyn of Concord, NC, Thomas Gilliard and his wife Kelly of Warwick, Eileen Childers and her husband Jeffrey of Harrisburg, NC, and Jennifer Gilliard of Warwick; thirteen grandchildren: Christopher and his wife Tiffany, Victoria, Catherine, Samantha, Sabrina, Emily, Brittney, Alexandra, Rebecca, Bianca, Elizabeth, Kyle, and Bella; two great-grandchildren: Tristan and Zander; many nieces and nephews, whom he loved. He was predeceased by a brother, Edward Gilliard.
Visitation will be Friday, July 3rd, from 2-4 & 7-9 pm at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Ave, Warwick. Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, July 4, at St. Stephens RC Church, followed by interment in Orange County Veterans Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be sent to Hospice of Orange County, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY 12550 or Alzheimers Assocation, 2 Jefferson Plaza, Ste. 203, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.