Larry Gillespie, Sr.

Russell Lawrence "Larry" Gillespie, Sr., passed away peacefully on April 22, 2013, secure in his faith and surrounded by loved ones in Fallston, MD. He was 90 years old. He was born April 7, 1923, the son of the late Lucious Thurlo Gillespie and Minnie Underwood Gillespie.

Larry was predeceased by his loving wife of 64 years, Helen Coulson Gillespie, as well as his father and mother. He was also predeceased by a brother, Leo Frank Gillespie; four sisters, Stella Gillespie Ryan, Thelma Gillespie Hughes, Clair Cullum Willis and Helen Cullum Graham.

Larry is survived by his three children, Russell L. Gillespie, Jr., S. Tessa James and Teresa C. Kron; by one brother, Robert Cullum; two sisters, Georgia Cullum Osborne and Betty Cullum Colvin; five grandchildren, Matthew R. Kron, Paul R. Kron, Aimee E. Church, Kelli Wolfe, Casey Gillespie; seven great-grandchildren, Quinton T. Kron, Colton S. Kron, Molly Wolfe, Abby Wolfe, Jackson Wolfe, Travis Beck and Roland Beck; and many nephews and nieces who loved him.

During World War II, Larry enlisted in the US Navy and served from May 1942 to Nov 1945. Initially, he was assigned to the Naval Armed Guard aboard two Liberty Ships, the SS Audaious and SS Mathew P. Deady. Later, he was stationed on the USS McNulty DE 581, a destroyer escort. During his Navy service, he was in both the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters and he completed a voyage around the world in eight months. He was aboard the USS McNulty when it participated in the invasion of Leyte and Okinawa, and later, when it transported German prisoners from Europe to the US. After the war ended, his ship was one of two that escorted the hospital ship, USS Relief, to Darien, Manchuria to evacuate allied prisoners-of-war that were survivors of the Bataan Death March.

After WWII, Larry was employed as a federal fire fighter at the Edgewood Arsenal Fire Department. He retired from there in 1972.

Larry loved life and he had many hobbies he enjoyed with his family and friends. He was an outdoorsman, and he enjoyed hunting, fishing and crabbing in and around the Bush River and Chesapeake Bay. He was an avid gardener and rose hybridizer. He delighted in sharing the vegetables and flowers he grew. He was also a talented musician and he played the acoustic guitar.

Larry was a member of Grandview Christian Church in Fallston, MD, the Destroyer Escort Sailors Association, The Rose Hybridizer Association, and The Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Pallbearers will be Richard Kron, Matthew Kron, Paul Kron, Bill Spealman, James Lagan and Jerry Workinger. Honorary pallbearers will be Robert James, James Wallace and Tony Lombardi.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Amedisys Hospice Care of Upper Chesapeake, 7106 Ridge Road, Suite 100, Rosedale, MD 21237 or to Grandview Christian Church, Post Office Box 358, Fallston, MD 21247.