Joseph Alan Gillis, Jr.

Joe was born in Englewood, New Jersey, November 17, 1932. Soon after his family moved to England and were living there at the beginning of World War II. The family then returned to Beverly, Massachusetts, where Joe grew up. Joe graduated from Boston College in 1955. After college, Joe enlisted in the Navy and attended Officer Candidate School and later the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California. While on active duty, Joe toured the Far East and was an instructor of Electrical Engineering at the US. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. After his active duty service in the Navy, Joe worked for NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and often visited Cape Canaveral, Florida.

While at the Naval Academy, Joe met and married his wife of 50 years, Frances. He is survived by his wife Frances, daughter Anne Burns of Indian Harbour Beach, sons Doug Gillis and John Gillis of Maryland, grandchildren Khai Hinman and Kelsea Hinman of Melbourne, great granddaughters, Aubrey and Riley of Melbourne, sister Anne Shinkle (Ray) of Sanford, and a niece and nephews. Joe is predeceased by son Robert Gillis.

Joe enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, traveling, camping, playing the guitar, riding his motorcycle, his pets and sailing the Chesapeake Bay. Joe was a member of the Military Officers Association of America and the National Rifle Association.

Visitation will be at the Life Event Center at Florida Memorial, US 1, Rockledge, FL on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The funeral service will be at St. John the Evangelist Church, 5655 Stadium Parkway, Viera, FL on Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at 11:00 am.