Name Residence Richard C. Gillard Charleston,SC Approx. Date of Death: 08/26/2006 Notice GILLARD, Richard Lt. Col. Richard Courtney Gillard, U.S.A.R. (Ret), of Mount Pleasant entered into eternal life on Saturday, August 26, 2006 after a long illness. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at Christ Our King Catholic Church. The Rite of Committal will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery. Friends may call at James A McAlister Funeral Home, 1620 Savannah Hwy on Tuesday between 6:00 and 8:00 PM.. Mr. Gillard was born on April 24, 1930 in Portland, OR. He attended Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii where his family was stationed from 1938 to 1946. He was a 1948 graduate of Carlisle Military Academy, 1952 graduate of The Citadel, and served from 1952 to 1954 on active duty in U.S. Army, with a tour in Korea. He was graduated from the Army War College and served in the Army Reserves until 1982. He worked as a Civil Engineer at the Charleston Naval Shipyard for 31 years before retiring. Upon retiring, he worked as a Professional Engineer at M. Rosenblatt and Sons and at Wilbur Smith. After retiring from engineering, he enjoyed traveling with his family and square dancing with the James Island Wheelers. He volunteered as a community poll worker for Mt Pleasant. He regularly spoke to the 5th grade students at Christ our King Stella Maris School on the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor to share his childhood memories of the event. He was a member and past President of La SociTtF Frantaise de Bienfaisance, a member of The Citadel Alumni Association, Camden-Carlisle Alumni Association, Reserve Officers Association of America, life member of the National Rifle Association, member of Charleston Civil Engineering Club, and Punahou Alumni Association. He was an active parishioner at Christ Our King Catholic Church, serving as a volunteer in RCIA. He is survived by Ruby Stevens Gillard, his wife of 32 years; a daughter, Renee Gillard Villicana of Mt Pleasant, a daughter Marianne Gillard DeVito of Isle of Palms, a son Richard Andre (Bubba) Gillard and his wife Hannah of Mt Pleasant, a stepson Julian F. (Hoppy) Hopkins, III of Mt Pleasant; his mother Mrs. Marion Schmidt Decker of Chevy Chase, MD; a brother Donald Richardson Decker and his wife Gopa of Germantown, MD; a sister JoAnn Rice and her husband Richard of Charlottesville, VA; a sister Shirley Godwin and her husband Larry of Oxnard, CA; and seven grandchildren, Taylor Courtney Hopkins, Dino Michael DeVito, Victoria Marie DeVito, Emily Stevens Hopkins, Carlos Julian Villicana, Thomas Chandler Villicana, and Sarah Catherine Inabinet Gillard. He was preceded in death by his father Col. Donald J. Decker, USMC, (Ret); his father Ernest Charles Gillard; and his first wife, Mrs. Sarah Mae Thevenot Gillard. Memorial contributions may be made to East Cooper Community Outreach or to St. Vincent de Paul Society. Arrangements by JAMES A. MCALISTER, INC. 1620 SAVANNAH HWY. 766-1365. Visit our guestbook at www.charleston.net/deaths.
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