Charles Norman Gilliam Sr.

Visitation will be held at Georgia Memorial Park Funeral Home, 2000 Cobb Parkway SE, Marietta, Georgia on Friday, August 27, 2010 from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Charles' funeral will be held at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, August 28, 2010 at the Georgia Memorial Park Chapel in Marietta with interment at Georgia Memorial Park Cemetery immediately following service.

He was born May 2, 1919 to Reverend Cleveland and Mrs. Ruby Hall Gilliam in Life, Tenn. He had two brothers. Following graduation, he worked in the field of construction until he began a military career in October 1941, starting as one of the original “Flying Tigers” during WWII, which lasted almost 21 years. He was forever proud of his career and the dedicated mission of our country’s military.

Gil met the love of his life in Memphis, Tenn. and after a whirlwind romance married her three months later in Macon, Ga. Through his Air Force career and after, they raised four children he always worried he hadn’t done enough for, Charles N. “Chuck” Gilliam, Jr., Denetia G. “Cooker” Ivester, Shayna R. Dickey, and Patrick E. “Pat” Gilliam. He was very proud of his children and theirs, involved in many civic organizations, a strong church member, a master woodworker, and the family head of what he lovingly called the “wandering nomads”.

Gil was a dedicated husband, terrific father, grandfather, great grandfather, and a friend. He was predeceased by his wife, Doris H. Gilliam, and is survived by his children, Chuck, Cooker, Shayna and Pat, 14 grand children, Kisha (& Jimmy), Natasha, Zeb (& Ryanne), Deborah (& Jay), Lucas (& Lily), Morgan (& Crystal), Brandon (& Nichole), Clay (& Nora), Lacie, Rosie, Victoria, CJ, Cameron and Connor, and seven great grandchildren, Amber, Jimmy Lee, Blake, Colton, Sarah, Ashlyn, Lenora and Lincoln, plus one more on the way. The family thanks God for the gif of Gil.