He was born to Stephen and Margaret Gillis in April of 1929, in Inverness, Nova Scotia. Don grew up in Inverness as the second youngest of 6 children and moved to Vancouver British Columbia at the age of 17 in 1946 for a new challenge. Don attended the Normal School in Vancouver with the goal of becoming a certified school teacher. After he received his teaching certification, Don taught all over BC, from Vancouver, to the BC Interior to Vancouver Island.
Dad continued his lifelong education journey by obtaining a bachelor's degree in education from UBC and master’s degree in Education at Western Washington University later in his career.
He met his wife-to-be Gemma while they were both teaching at the Chehalis First Nations Reserve Day School. They were married on March 30th, 1970 and settled in Chilliwack where Don began teaching in the Chilliwack School District, where he taught for 25 years. On Don’s 44th birthday, their first son Michael was born. Two years and two months later their second son Craig was born. It was in Chilliwack where they built a full life of family, faith, and community involvement.
Don was a staunch supporter of Alcoholics Anonymous, celebrating over 60 years of sobriety for himself and being a sponsor and source of inspiration to countless people in the AA program. Don was involved in the St Mary's Catholic Church community too, where he was a Eucharistic Minister and reader during Mass, as well as teaching catechism and making countless baked goods for church bake sales when Gemma asked him to.
Don is survived by his wife of 52 years, Gemma; his sons Michael Gillis (Steve Moore) of Long Beach California, and Craig Gillis of Solingen, Germany; brother-in-law Genno (Blanche) Pereira, sisters-in-law Anysia Pereira and Martina Pereira; nieces Joyce, Olivia, Margaret, Ethel, Eleanor, Marion, Donna, Heather and Margot; nephews, Jimmy, David, Grant, Gary and Danny; and many grandnieces and grandnephews as well as cousins, friends and fellow teachers.
He was predeceased by his parents Stephen and Margaret, and by his siblings Jack, Jim, Eleanor, Molly, and Gordon.
A Celebration of Life and Funeral Mass is scheduled for Thursday August 18th, 2022 at 11 am at St Mary’s Catholic Church (8909 Mary Street, Chilliwack, BC) with reception to follow at the church hall. For those that would like to join the service via live stream may do so with the following link https://bit.ly/dgillis. In lieu of flowers, please donate to BC Heart and Stroke Foundation https://www.heartandstroke.ca/how-you-can-help or your local Alcoholics Anonymous chapter.
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