Jonathan Peter Gilfillan

Jonathan Peter Gilfillan, beloved husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, the 25th of September 2019, with his loving wife Stacy by his side and close family nearby after a courageous fight with brain cancer.

Jon was born in Buffalo, New York on the 29th of January 1973. He attended The Park School, then Williamsville East High School, where he played varsity basketball and lacrosse. He was named an All Western New York Lacrosse Star Athlete. This November, Jon will be posthumously inducted into the Williamsville East High School Sports Hall of Fame. The inaugural "Jon Gilfillan Heart Award", given to the Williamsville lacrosse player who exemplifies determination, grit and honor, was awarded in June of this year.

Jonathan graduated from St. Lawrence University in 1995 with a B.A. in History. There he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega "ATO" Fraternity, where he forged many life long friendships.

He began his career in commercial real estate finance the following year at Holliday, Fenoglio & Monte in Buffalo. In 1997 he moved with the firm, then Holliday Fenoglio, Dockerty & Gibson, to Houston, Texas. Soon thereafter, he met the love of his life, Stacy, and quickly made Houston his home. Jon and Stacy married in 2001 and welcomed their son Ethan James in 2008.

Jon was a successful and respected commercial real estate finance broker for 23 years. In addition to his years with Holliday Fenoglio and its successor companies, he was also with Spaulding & Slye Colliers in Boston, MA and Live Oak Capital of Houston. He culminated his career as a founding member and Senior Managing Director of Berkadia’s Houston office. Throughout his career, he was well known for his cynical sense of humor that could bring levity to any business meeting.

Jonathan was diagnosed with brain cancer in November 2018, and drawing inspiration from his son, Ethan, he made it his mission to do "W.I.T." (Whatever It Takes) to fight for every moment; to live and laugh with his family and friends. Jon was the consummate comedian. He filled every room with joy and laughter. Even while fighting the toughest battle of his life, he never lost his remarkable sense of humor or his razor sharp wit.

Above all, Jon loved his family, friends and the Buffalo Bills. Despite his dedication to his work, he always found time for family vacations and annual trips to Buffalo and Boston where his mother and sister reside. He was an avid fan of his son Ethan's sports and shared his progression with friends any chance he could. The two of them and many life-long friends followed his Bills' triumphs and tribulations together each Sunday.

Jonathan is survived by his devoted wife Stacy and their son Ethan; his mother, Mary Caroline Gilfillan of Buffalo, New York (predeceased by father Peter Sherman Gilfillan); his sister, Sarah O'Toole and her husband John, nephews, John Peter and Nicholas Coleman of Wellesley, Massachusetts; his aunt Sarah deLaurentis and husband Daniel Ceccoli, M.D. of Boca Raton, Florida; his Uncle Vincent John deLaurentis and his wife Elaine of Naples, Florida; mother- and father-in-law Carol and Jim Harris of Bayou Vista, Texas; and sister-in-law Lisa Harris and niece Grayson Jane, of Austin, Texas.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are Charles "Cutt" Ableson, Daniel Blum, Michael Carty, Erik Morland, Jason Pennington and Bryan Spokane.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o'clock in the afternoon until seven o'clock this evening Sunday, the 29th of September, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

The funeral mass will be celebrated at ten o'clock in the morning on Monday, the 30th of September, at St. Anne Catholic Church, 2140 Westheimer Road in Houston.

At a later time, the family will gather for a private interment at Woodlawn Garden of Memories Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, a fund is being established for the benefit of the family and the Jonathan Gilfillan W.I.T. Foundation by his friends at American Bank c/o Michelle Holcomb or Brent Johnston (713) 285-2809.