RICHLAND, NY — Luther B. Gillette, 62, Richland, passed away Friday, May 10 th at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Syracuse.
Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, May 16, at Carpenter-Stoodley Funeral Home, Belleville. Burial will follow the service in the Ellisburg Cemetery. Calling hours will be 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 15, at the funeral home and also 10 to 11 a.m. prior to the funeral service. Following the burial there will be a reception at the Belleville Fire Department.
He was born in Watertown, NY, June 10, 1956, a son to Richard and Vera Otis Gillette. He graduated from Belleville Union Academy in 1974.
A marriage to Marilyn Hedger ended in a divorce. He married Debbie Delles on Feb. 6, 1990 in Mannsville, NY.
He worked for 31 years at Schoeller Paper until 2005 where he was union president of the United Paper Worker’s International Union #1066. He then went to work as a yard foreman for White’s Lumber, Pulaski for 14 years.
Luther enjoyed the outdoors; he loved gardening, fishing and most of all hunting at his camp in Adams. He always found solace in the woods. Luther deeply loved Debbie, his children and grandchildren. He was able to energize the whole house just by stepping in the front door. All of his grandchildren and great nieces and nephews looked forward to the fun they had with him.
Luther is survived by his wife, Debbie, 4 children, Gwendolyn (Darren) Ambrose, Adams Center; L Patrick (Stephanie) Gillette, Adams Center; Stephen Gillette, Brewerton; Jacqueline (Benjamin) Pate, Croghan; 8 grandchildren, Hanna and Lauren Ambrose, Lucas and Elyssa Gillette, Courtney, Corrine, Colton and Corrigan Pate, his mother, Vera L. “Sis” Gillette, brother and sister-in-law, Wayne and Debra Gillette. Also surviving are his brothers and sisters in laws, Carl and Patty Delles, Larry and Christine Delles, Terry and Roxanne Delles, Mark and Bev McGrath, David and Vanessa Delles, Danny Delles, Dawn and Mark Austin, several nieces and
nephews.
He was predeceased by his father, Richard P. Gillette, a granddaughter, Caitlyn R. Pate and two brothers-in-law, Paul and Bruce Delles.
Donations may be made in Luther’s name to Caitlyn R. Pate Fund, Lewis County Hospital Foundation, 7785 N. State St., Lowville, NY 13367 or to Northern Oswego County Ambulance, Inc., 21 Delano St., Pulaski, NY 13142.
Arrangements are with Carpenter-Stoodley Funeral Home, Belleville.
Online condolences may be made at www.carpenterstoodley.com
