Jan. 20, 1943-July 13, 2024
Guy Gillespie, 81, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 13, 2024, to be reunited with many family members including his wife, daughters, parents and siblings. We find peace in imagining the joyful reunion that is taking place.
Guy was born in Palmdale, California, in 1943 to Charles Gillespie and Thelma Hopkins Gillespie and was the youngest of five siblings. Guy was a native of St. George, Utah, and graduated from Dixie High School in 1961. He met and married his wife of 51 years, Cheryl Arbuckle Gillespie, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and they were later sealed in the St. George Utah LDS Temple. Guy and Cheryl share a remarkable story in that they met and were married in a period of only six days. Early in their marriage, they moved their young family around the country with time spent living in Salt Lake City, Denver, Kansas City, New Orleans, Boulder City, Nevada, and finally settled in Henderson, Nevada. Guy was a fan of many things, including M*A*S*H., Gunsmoke, Larry’s Country Diner, Matlock, old country music and Cedar Mountain. He had a knack for seeing old cars and instantly naming the year, make, and model with precision.
Guy retired from Clark County, Nevada, in 2001 and he and Cheryl relocated to Cedar City, Utah, to be closer to their cabin and escape the Las Vegas summers. Together they served for many years in the Las Vegas Temple where they gained many dear friends and acquaintances. They also served a mission in the Cedar City LDS Cannery for four years and served two missions on the Navajo Reservation in Kaibeto, Arizona. After Cheryl’s death, Guy married Nancy Gardner Millett Gillespie in 2016 who he and Cheryl knew from their time serving with Nancy and her late husband, Gordon, in the Las Vegas Temple. Guy and Nancy continued their faithful service in the Cedar City Temple until shortly before his passing.
Guy is survived by his wife Nancy; his children, Daphne Solomon (Rohn) of Thorne Bay, Alaska; Karalee Viau (Rich) of Castle Rock, Colordo; Richard Gillespie (Maggie) of Cedar City, Utah; and Charles Gillespie (Terra), of Holly Springs, North Carolina; brothers-in-law Ray Carpenter of Washington, Utah, and Tom Arbuckle of Gresham, Oregon; 21 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
Guy was preceded in death by his wife Cheryl, daughters Janice Harless (Mikeal) and Polly (infant), his parents, and siblings Dixie Lee Gillespie, Delila Whitney, Donna Rae Church and Madge Carpenter, and one great-grandchild. Another blessing from his marriage to Nancy was that he was able to become part of Nancy’s family and gained an additional three children, their spouses, 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren who he loved.
As his children, we want to express our gratitude to Nancy for all of her love, care, and support of our father over these last several years. Nancy brought joy and purpose back to our father after our mother’s passing and she and her children have been a blessing to our family.
Funeral services for Guy will be held on Friday, July 19, at 11 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel at 370 North 4050 West in Cedar City, Utah, with a visitation from 9-10:30 a.m. Funeral services will also be available to be viewed online. Please visit the funeral home website for access to the online service. Interment will be in the Cedar City Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S Bluff St., St. George, 435-673-2454. Family and friends are invited to click here to sign Guy’s online guest book.