Vance Kennedy Gilliam

Vance K. Gilliam was born on December 24,1946 and died peacefully at his home on November 23, 2022 after a long battle with cancer. He is survived by his former wife Donna, his daughters Pamela (Jason) and Jennifer (Robert) and grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother James Gilliam and his wife Beth in Rancho Cucamonga, his Sister Jamee Best and her husband Gary in Barstow and his brother Ralph Gilliam and his wife Amy in Fresno. He was preceded in death by his father Howell James Gilliam in 1989 and his mother Celestia Brown Gilliam in 1997. He leaves behind a large extended family of nieces,nephews,cousins and friends who have enriched his life for the past 75 yrs.

Vance was the grandson of the late Senator Charles Brown and Estelle Fairbanks so he had a lifelong appreciation for Fairbanks family history. He also had an affinity for Paiute artifacts,The Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad,The Amargosa River,The 20 Mule Team and a great personal love for Shoshone and the pool, which was built by his grandfather. He was a major benefactor to The Shoshone Museum and spent many hours there as a docent sharing family history and facts with visitors.

Vance was born in Glendale Ca. but lived in Shoshone with his family for the first 6 yrs. of his life. In 1952 he moved with his family to Barstow where his dad Jim Gilliam started a wholesale grocery business with his partner Milton Everett. Vance worked in the business first as clean-up and stock boy and eventually delivered supplies to local businesses from Barstow to Stateline. He attended local schools including Henderson, The old Jr. High and Barstow High School as a Riffian where he graduated in 1965. He also attended Barstow College. He served in the California National Guard 123rd Maintenance Company in Barstow from 1965-1971. His lifelong interest in guns was enhanced by Small Arms Repair School in Aberdeen Maryland.

Vance loved military history especially aircraft of WWII. His father Jim flew DC3s & DC4s in World War II. On a trip To London Vance visited the War Museum and quickly became a self appointed guide to the V2 on display because he knew so many facts about it. One of the biggest thrills of his life was a 60 minute ride in a P51, America's premier WWII fighter at the Planes of Fame in Chino.

In 1978-1980 he returned to Shoshone to work with Brian Brown at The Warm Springs talc mine. He worked for Santa Fe Railroad as a track repairman in Barstow, The Barstow Daggett airport as a maintenance worker and for Gene Brown Construction laying foundations and driving supplies for Mr. Brown. His last job was as a security guard for Brown's Mini Storage until his cancer diagnosis in 2007.

Vance had a remarkable memory about every important event in his life but also Shoshone, Death Valley and Barstow history! You could take a ride down main street in Barstow with him and he could tell you every building that stood on Main St. from 1942-present day! The family depended on him to recall marriages, births, deaths most of which occurred over a hundred years ago. He would talk about the birth of his daughters as if it had happened yesterday. He was extremely proud of Pamela and Jennifer and their beautiful families! He would say " To have your daughters marry good men and have my beautiful grandkids, that's what it's all about".

These are things you might not know about Vance: He was an extremely reliable worker, always on time and rarely missing a day of work. He was an accomplished woodworker, presenting family members with handmade wooden bowls and vases. He had a remarkable singing voice and sang in the Boys Glee Club at Barstow High. He will be missed as a brother, father, grandfather and friend.

MEMORIAL SERVICES WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11, 2023 AT 10 A.M.

LOCATION: MEAD MORTUARY 36930 IRWIN RD.BARSTOW CA. 92311.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.meadcares.com for the Gilliam family.

Mead mortuary chapel and reception room are open for services at 100% capacity. If you need assistance or have any questions, please call 760-256-5671 to speak with our staff. Our office area is open to the public and we highly suggest that you call for an appointment before coming in. Thank you for your patience and cooperation, we appreciate your understanding during this time. We offer our sincerest condolences to the family.