Clinton Gilbert Gillespie

Clint Gillespie, 98, beloved father, husband, grandfather and great-grandfather passed away from complications incident to old age on 15 December 2023 in Riverton, Utah. He lived a full, interesting and exemplary life, active and strong to the end. He was born 20 July 1925, in Tooele, Utah, the first of three children of Gilbert Green and Vera Bryan Gillespie.

He graduated valedictorian of Tooele High School in May 1943, in the midst of World War II, and entered the United States Army Air Corps at Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City on 15 November 1943. After graduating from Navigation School in February 1945, he served in the Pacific Theater, including Shanghai, Beijing, and Kunming, China from September 1945-August 1946.  After transferring to the newly created U.S. Air Force in 1947, he attended Pilot Training at Randolph AFB, Texas and graduated from Advanced Pilot Training at Williams AFB, Arizona in October 1948. During 35 years of military service, he served as a fighter pilot and flew 185 combat missions in the F-84 and F-86 aircraft during the Korean War (1951-52), and 85 combat missions in the Vietnam War in the F-4D Phantom (1968-69). He culminated his Air Force career as Group Commander of flying training at Craig AFB, Alabama, Wing Commander of technical training at Chanute AFB, Illinois, and Director of Plans and Programs at NATO’s Airsouth Headquarters in Naples, Italy, retiring from active duty in July 1978.

While attending the University of Utah under the Air Force AFIT program, he met, fell in love with and was sealed to Elma Oldham in the Salt Lake Temple on 21 March 1958 by Elder LeGrand Richards. He graduated from the U with High Honors in December 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. As an Air Force couple, Clint and Elma lived much of their married life in the mission field where they raised six children, one daughter and five sons.

Clint loved the Lord, was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and during his life served in a great variety of callings including Branch President in Vicenza, Italy and Selma, Alabama; Stake Presidency counselor in Champaign, Illinois; District President in Naples, Italy; High Councilor and Patriarch in the Sandy Utah Granite Stake; and Sealer in the Jordan River and Draper Utah Temples. He served four full-time church missions with Elma as his devoted companion: as President of the Italy Rome Mission (1980-83), as a counselor in the Bern Switzerland Temple Presidency (1994-96), as a District Leader in the Seoul Korea Temple (1997-99), and as a temple worker and counselor in the MTC Presidency in Madrid Spain (2001-02). In his post-military career, Clint worked in the Church Physical Facilities Department in Salt Lake City from 1983-94, and subsequently served service missions in that department and in the Church Translation Department.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Elma (2006), and by his parents, brother Allan, sister Marjorie, and great-granddaughter Avery. He is survived by his children, Robin (Mark) Pearce, Sandy; Scott (Marianne) Gillespie, Yorktown, Virginia; Paul (Yvonne) Gillespie, Syracuse; John (Stacey) Gillespie, Layton; William (Elaina) Gillespie, Heber; and Daniel (Laura) Gillespie, Syracuse; 26 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Friday, December 22, 2023 at 11:00 in the Sandy Granite Stake Center Chapel, 2535 E Newcastle Drive. Friends and family may call from 9:30-10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment will be in the Tooele City Cemetery.