David Clayton Gillespie

David was born November 10, 1943 in Oswego, KS, the son of Cecil and Mabel (Winters) Gillespie. He grew up on the family farm, where the family had dairy cows, stock cows, pigs, chickens, and farmed hay for the livestock. He attended elementary school in a one room schoolhouse and later graduated from Labette County Community High School where he played trombone in the band. He was a Mechanical Engineering graduate of Kansas State University. He met Karen Martinson in Calculus and they were married in Topeka, KS on April 2, 1966. David received his M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1971.

David was a career Air Force Officer, serving for 20 years. During his years of service, the family was stationed at Malstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana (Minuteman Missile program), Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton Ohio; SAMSO and Northrop Corporations in the Los Angeles California area, and the Defense Construction Supply Center in Columbus Ohio. After serving in the Air Force, David performed work as a contract manager at several companies.

David was a long-time member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Air Force Association, USAA Swimming Official, Fairborn United Methodist Church, Monticello United Methodist Church, mentor for Mill Valley High School Robotics team #1810, and the Kansas State University Alumni Association. He enjoyed doing activities with the family, travel, playing chess, woodworking, volunteering at church, Bible Study, reading, square dancing, running, fishing, blood donor, and genealogy.

David was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Melba.

David is survived by wife Karen of 54 years; his brother Kenneth (Nancy); son Brian (Mary); daughter Diane (Joe) Culp; Grandchildren-Christopher Gillespie, Teddy Gillespie, Rachel Culp, and Matthew Culp, six nieces and two nephews.

Visitation will be Monday July 27, 2020 at McGilley & Frye Funeral Home, 105 Loula St, Olathe, KS.

Funeral 2pm Tuesday July 28, 2020 at Monticello UMC-online

Interment at Shawnee Mission Memory Gardens, 23215 W.75th St., Shawnee, KS 66227

Memorial, in lieu of flowers, to Monticello United Methodist Church 23860 W. 75th St., Shawnee, KS 66227