A service to celebrate Mrs. Gillespies life will be held at 11:00 AM, Monday, December 11, 2023 at Albany First Church of The Nazarene on Liberty Expressway. The family will receive friends Sunday, December 10, 2023 from 2:00PM until 4:00PM at Mathews Funeral Home, and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will follow the service at 3:30PM in Springhill Church Cemetery, Whigham, GA.
Mrs. Gillespie was born December 25, 1930 in Whigham, GA, daughter of the late Pennie and John Mobley. She graduated from Whigham High School, and Georgia Southwestern University, where she earned her nursing degree.
Mrs. Gillespie served as a dedicated pastor’s wife for over 50 years in ten Nazarene churches across Tennessee and Georgia. During those years and even after their retirement, she remained active in her local church and on the GA District as a member of the Nazarene Missionary Society, Women’s Ministries, Sunday School teacher, Nurse for the Nazarene Campground, church organist and pianist, and was awarded the 2012 Layman of the Year Award for exemplary Christian service and leadership. Mrs. Gillespie worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse for many years in the hospital and office setting. She was a member of Albany Grace Church of The Nazarene, and the Albany Area YMCA/Silver Sneakers.
Along with her husband, she was an avid Braves fan, and loved gardening and sewing. She had a wonderful sense of humor, a quick wit, and kept her family laughing. Mrs. Gillespie was a loving friend with a beautiful smile and always had a song in her heart.
In addition to her parents, her siblings, Jim Mobley, Tom Mobley, Dwight Mobley, Margaret Roberts, Agnes Steadman and Hansel Mobley, preceded Mrs. Gillespie in death.
Survivors include her loving husband of 73 years, Reverend Hilton H. Gillespie; her children, Pat Norton (Joe) of Woodbine, GA, Alta Ploeger (Bill) of Columbus, GA, John Gillespie (Celeste) of Edmond, OK, and Wendy Mathis (Billy) of Leesburg, GA; her grandchildren, Tiffany Patten (Ben), Ben Beach (Tiffany), and Cal Collins, all of Columbus, GA, Amanda Norton Kehoe of Jacksonville, FL, Carly Mathis (Aaron Gentilucci) of Atlanta, GA, Tripp Mathis of Panama City Beach, FL, Candace Sturlin (Malachi) of Oklahoma City, OK, Lauren Gillespie (Shayne Morris) of Dallas, TX and Jason Gibson (Tatiana) of Locust Grove, GA; 16 great grandchildren, 9 great-great grandchildren, 2 sisters in law, Shirley Gillespie and Loette Burger, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the staff and nurses at Lee County Health and Rehabilitation for their devoted care. In addition, a special thanks to the staff of Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, Mathews Funeral Home, and the Southwest GA Nurse Honor Guard.
Memorials can be made in memory of Christine Gillespie to Albany Grace Church of the Nazarene 3000 Gillionville Road, Albany, GA 31707.
