Louis James (Butch) Gillespie, Jr, 77, of Haynes, AR, died suddenly Sunday morning August 29. He was preceded in death by his father, Louis James Gillespie, Sr. his mother Beatrice Pierce, bonus mom Jessie R. Gillespie, bonus dad W.E. Eddings, Sr. and his sister Susan Felts.
Butch was a Navy veteran and retired Captain from the Memphis Police Department, having served there from 1967 to 2001. He had been a uniform officer, motorman, interstate patrol officer (where he met his wife when he stopped her for speeding), STIS investigator and precinct captain. Butch also served as Vice President of the Memphis Police Association from 1988 to 1992.
Since his retirement in 2001, he enjoyed doing whatever he wanted to do whenever he wanted to do it…and was quite good at it! There was nothing he couldn’t fix and enjoyed helping others do whatever they needed help with.
He loved his orange tractor, hunting and fishing, his Ray Stevens and Mel Tillis music and his homemade muscadine jelly! He stayed busy maintaining trails and planting food plots on his 70 acre piece of paradise where he lived. Butch was also known for his bright smile, funny jokes and sometimes salty language. If you asked his opinion, you better be ready for it.
He leaves his wife Debby Lowry Gillespie, daughters Tracy Watson of Hernando, MS, USAF Colonel (Ret) Gina (Jeff) Paden of Lebanon, TN and a son Shane Gillespie of Marion, AR. Butch also leaves a sister Linda Reaves (Bill) of Memphis and a brother Bill (Jane) Eddings of Salem, AR. He was Papaw (or “BR” for Big Relative) to Travis, Josh, Hunter and Lexy, in-laws that were crazy about him and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews and friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or a charity of one’s choice.
The family will welcome friends and family with a reception for a celebration of life at Family Funeral Care, 4925 Summer Avenue, Memphis, TN from 4pm-6pm on Thursday, September 2. Please bring your special memory of Butch!
SHARE A SMILE TODAY…BUTCH WOULD HAVE!
