Roy O. Gulley

Judge Roy O. Gulley Roy O. Gulley, 84, of Springfield, died on Friday, August 8, 2008 at St. John's Hospital. Roy was born on July 2, 1924 in Sesser, Illinois, the son of Roy A. Gulley and Mary Alice Martel Gulley. He married Lina Lou Kellogg in December of 1944. He married Kay Daniels on June 19, 1989 in Henderson, Kentucky. Roy graduated from Sesser High School in May of 1941 and worked as a coal miner during the summer school breaks. He enrolled at the University of Illinois in Urbana in June of 1941 and was employed at the local Steak and Shake in his job as "soda jerk" when news of Pearl Harbor broke on December 7, 1941. The next day Roy enlisted in the U. S. Navy along with 16 of his boarding room schoolmates. Roy served with Special Task Force Group 1 aboard the USS Enterprise taking on 510 missions. Upon completing his military service he re-enrolled at the U of I. He was awarded a BA in Accountancy and later a Jurisdoctor (JD) from the U of I College of Law. Roy began the practice of law in Benton in 1949. He was elected Franklin County Judge in 1950 at the age of 26. He was elected Circuit Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit in 1957. On January 1, 1968 Roy was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to the position of Administrative Director of the Illinois Court System. He served in that position until his "first" retirement in December 1985. During his tenure he served as National Chairman of State Court Administrators from 1974 to 1978 and on the Board of Directors of American Judicature Society from 1970 to 1984. He is recognized in judicial and constitutional law circles as the person most responsible for the phrasing in the judicial article of the 1970 Constitution, which modernized the Illinois Court System. He was known as "the Flying Judge" because of his love of flying. Roy returned to the practice of law with the firm of Heyl, Royster, Voelker and Allen in January of 1986 and retired for the second time on his 75th birthday in 1999. Roy then began as a volunteer at the Salvation Army and at the Sojourn Women's Shelter. He was awarded the William Booth Award from the Salvation Army for his volunteer services. Roy was a member of West Side Christian Church, Illini Country Club, and the Illinois State Bar Association. He was also an avid golfer and cross-word puzzle solver. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and four sisters. Roy is survived by his wife, Kay of Springfield, his sons, Dr. Mike (wife, Sharon) Gulley of Peoria, Tom (wife, Jane) Gulley of Albuquerque NM, John (wife, Becky) Gulley of Springfield, Jon Daniels of Champaign and Ed Daniels of Naperville; his daughters, Mary Lou (husband, Kenny) Payne of Benton, Dr. Joyce Hamon of Evansville IN; Carrie Daniels (husband, Jim) Toth of Carlyle; 15 grandchildren, 7(+) Great grandchildren, and his brother Halbert (wife, Nadine) Gulley of Dekalb. The family will receive friends from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Monday, August 11, 2008 at West Side Christian Church, 2850 Cider Mill Lane, Springfield, IL 62702. An additional visitation will be held from 10:00-10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at West Side Christian Church. Funeral ceremony will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at West Side Christian Church with Rev. Gary Winkleman and Rev. Charles Lee, officiating. Burial will follow at Camp Butler National Cemetery with the Interveterans Burial Detail of Sangamon County performing military honors. Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army, 530 N. 6th St., Springfield, IL 62702, the Sojourn Shelter, 1800 Westchester Blvd., Springfield, IL 62708, and the West Side Food Pantry, 2850 Cider Mill Ln., Springfield, IL 62702.