Abram Glenn Gillies

Abram Glenn Gillies 1940-2022 Abram Glenn Gillies passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at the age of 81. Abe fought a brave and determined battle with Parkinson’s disease, while never losing sight of his mantra, “The drive to get there is as important as the final destination.” And what a drive it was. Abe was born December 10, 1940, to Glenn and Grace Gillies of Beaver, Utah. Being raised in a small rural Utah town exposed Abe to many opportunities that most people would never appreciate: helping on the family dairy farm, sanitizing milk cans at the creamery, running the film projector at the only theater in town, and working for the Forest Service building fences and surveying the land. At a young age, Abe grew a strong appreciation for being in the wilderness, an appreciation that would last his entire life. As a young man, his summers were filled with hiking, bow hunting, and fishing in the mountains above Beaver. Abe married the love of his life, Bobbie Lynne Smith, on August 9, 1963. They immediately moved to Salt Lake City, where Abe was enrolled at the University of Utah School of Architecture. He graduated in 1969 with a Masters in Architecture. After graduation, Abe began looking for a permanent home where he and Bobbie could raise a family. Luckily, Abe possessed the ability to see the potential in buildings if they were given a little (maybe a lot) of patience and hard work. A prime example was the Avenues house he and Bobbie purchased in 1971. The Avenues home would become the epicenter of a 45-year remodel. It was a home filled with love, laughter, temporary fixtures (that lasted for years), gourmet meals, and constant drywall dust. Abe’s creative mind was limitless. Once he found a passion for something—be it food, wine, gardening, architectural design, or his greatest passion, mentoring and molding young minds—he put his entire heart and soul into these endeavors, always striving to learn and become more proficient. Abe understood that knowledge is gained from failures as much as success. Although failures were sometimes few and far between for him, his shark stew was a notable one. Abe was born with a speech impediment that understandably would hold some people back. For him, it was the opposite; he chose a profession that forced him to speak publicly and prove that his voice was not a reflection of his spirit, intelligence, and creativity. He feared nothing—except snakes. His greatest personal achievements were his loving and devoted marriage to Bobbie, which lasted almost 55 years, ending only with her passing in May 2019, and his children, Jennifer (Josh Schultz), Matthew (Nikki Brush), and Sarah (the late Bryce Ayres), and six wonderful grandchildren—Matthew, Justin, Sam, Grace, Sydney, and Kate. Abe was constantly giving advice, some wanted, some not so much. He would always say, “The worst decision is indecision.” Abe’s professional achievements started right out of school, but it wasn’t until 1978 when he and Bob Brotherton formed Brotherton Gillies Architects, which eventually became Gillies, Stransky, Brems, Smith Architects, that his professional life hit its stride. Over the years the firm grew, winning awards and becoming a leader in the field. Abe knew that he was a part of something very special, but just a part. What he believed made GSBS so successful was the intense collaboration of brilliant minds, including Michael Stransky, David Brems, Stephen Smith, Tom Batenhorst, Bruce Jorgensen, Kevin Miller, Valerie Nagasawa, Scott Henriksen, Brock Peterson, and so many others, especially Karen Melville, who was with them from the beginning. Abe was proud of and inspired by everyone he worked with. Just as he could see the potential in buildings, he had the innate gift of seeing a person's true ability and helping that person see it for themself. Abe's greatest love was not designing buildings but designing people. In 1999, Abe and Bobbie began another monstrous undertaking: turning a dilapidated modular home east of Beaver into a beautiful mountain retreat. It was during this time that Abe reconnected with the beloved surroundings of his childhood summers, spending countless hours painting and marveling how the natural light would change the landscape. Or we might find him in his shop, carving a stick into the perfect drawer pull, coat rack, or railing baluster. The Beaver cabin, like so many other buildings, will remain a testament to Abe’s brilliant vision, and the light will forever pour in. The Gillies family would like to thank the caregivers at Auberge at Aspen Ridge, especially Omar, who in the last few years became a very special friend to Abe. A celebration for Abe will be held at the Utah Museum of Fine Art, 410 Campus Center Campus Drive, on September 18, 2022, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. We ask that in true Abe fashion you celebrate his life by planting a seed, cooking for someone you love, or using a paper bag as a light fixture. Internment Beaver City Cemetery, Beaver Utah.