Archie Gillespie Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Archie D. Gillespie, 89, of 1201 Country Club Drive in Boone, Iowa passed away at the Eastern Star Masonic Home in Boone on Wednesday morning, February 18, 2015, where he had reside since October of 2014. He was born August 15, 1925 near Morris, Minnesota the son of Archie R. and Alice (Kruse) Gillespie. The family moved to Sutherland, Iowa in 1929 and later to Hope, North Dakota in 1934. Due to the depression, their landlord was forced to sell the farm where they lived, so in 1936, they relocated to Waterloo, Iowa. Archie joined the Marines in August of 1942, just after his 17th birthday. He was trained in San Diego, and Camp Pendleton, California before being shipped out in January of 1943 to New Zealand and the Solomon Islands. He returned to the States in 1945 and was stationed at Quantico, Virginia for training to go back overseas. The war ended on August 14, 1945, one day before his 20th birthday and was discharged in November of 1945. In March of 1946, he re-enlisted in the Marine Corps in Waterloo, Iowa. He was stationed at Great Lakes, Illinois and Detroit, Michigan on security assignment and later to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where he was discharged in January of 1948. Archie was a Marine for 11 ½ years in active or inactive duty. Archie returned to Waterloo and worked for the city bus company, but was called back to active duty in October of 1950, and joined the 1st Marine Division in Korea arriving back in Iowa on Christmas Day 1951 and went back to driving a city bus. He started selling cars in 1956 in Waterloo before moving to Boone in 1973 to open a Pontiac Olds dealership. He sold the business to Pat Clemons in 1990 and retired. On May 25, 1963, he married Shari Rogers in Waterloo, Iowa. Archie was a member of the Augustana Lutheran Church, VFW, Am Vets, Marine Corps League and the Veterans Honor Guard. When asked what the most memorable events of his life were, Archie stated; enlisting in the US Marine Corps, the end of World War II and the Korean War, marrying Shari and the day he retired after 35 years in the auto business. His parents; 4 brothers, Myron, Robert, Curtis, and Larry; and 1 sister, Marvella preceded him in death. Survivors include his wife Shari of Boone; 2 sisters Darlene Springer of Sedalia, Missouri, Donita Bryant of Twentynine Palms, California; 2 brothers Davis Gillespie of Bullhead City, Arizona and Kenneth Gillespie and wife Judy of Waterloo, Iowa; numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and friends. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday afternoon, February 24th at 1:30 p.m. at the Augustana Lutheran Church in Boone with Pastor Dick Dahle officiating. Interment with presentation of the flag conducted by the Boone Veterans Council will be in the Linwood Park Cemetery in Boone. Friends may call at the Stark-Welin Chapel in Boone on Monday evening from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with the family present during that time to greet friends. Visitations will continue at the Church on Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service. In memory of Archie, memorial gifts are suggested to the VFW, Boone Veterans Council Honor Guard, American Legion and the Boone Area Humane Society.

Archie Gillespie

August 15, 1925 - February 23, 2015

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