Frederick Ray Gillespie, loving husband, father, grandfather and brother, 78, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma passed away, the 27th of April 2011. He was born on the 11th of December 1932 in Omaha, Nebraska to Claude Randall Gillespie and Edna (Kramer) Gillespie Terrill. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, first wife Betty Grace (Jones) Gillespie, and brothers Ronald Claud Gillespie and Donald Eugene Gillespie. He is survived by his loving wife Wennie (Victorina) of Broken Arrow, daughter Dayna Kulik and husband Steve of Denton, son David and wife Dona of Katy, Texas, grandson Lt. Joshua Gillespie USN of Hong Kong, granddaughter Rachael Gillespie of Austin, Texas, brother George and wife Pat of Broken Arrow, sister Dorothy Clark of Tulsa and sister Reba Groblebe and husband Lane of Seagoville, Texas.

Fred grew up in in Collinsville, Oklahoma and graduated from Collinsville High School in 1952. He attended the University of Tulsa and Northeastern State University. He served 4 years in the United States Air Force as Crew Chief on B29 and B36 bombers and was a 32nd degree Mason. He retired from Gardner Denver Company after 44 years where he serviced and supplied oil and gas production equipment and Mining and Heavy Construction equipment. Fred’s career took him to Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arizona and he spent the last 18 years of his career in Singapore where he travelled widely throughout the Far East.

Fred and Wennie were married in 2001 and had 10 wonderful years of marriage together.

Fred loved the outdoors and enjoyed travel, hunting, camping and fishing. Fred travelled to places and had many wondrous experiences that most people only can dream of. From the Indian tribes of the southwest to the people of India and throughout the Far East, he embraced each culture he encountered, marveling at both the differences and similarities of people throughout the world. He seldom refused experiencing a new cuisine. Even in the very end he managed to make everyone laugh and smile with his sharp humor and wit. He was a wonderful man, friend, father, brother and husband. Fred would not want us to leave today with sorrow but with a smile on our face and joy in our heart.

A memorial service will be held at Collinsville Dolton Funeral Home, 1302 West Main Street, Collinsville, Oklahoma 74021, Phone: (918) 371-2111 on Monday May 2, 2011 at 10:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the John 3:16 Mission, Tulsa http://www.john316mission.org/.