Mrs. Alma Gilliand died Sunday, January 11, 2015, in her home attended by her beloved son, Wayne Gilliand, and his wife, Vonnie, whom Alma considered her best friend.
On October 4, 1936, Alma Bernice Messer married Johnny Clarence Gilliand of Elmore County. They had three sons: Clarence Melvin, H. C., and Billy Wayne Gilliand, grandchildren: GIna Smoak, and Jeff, Crystal, Patrick, and Beth Gilliand, 10 great grandchildren, and a great, great granddaughter.
Mrs. Gilliand was the daughter of George Looney Messer and Ida Missouri Carroll, granddaughter of Reverend Benjamin Franklin Messer, and great granddaughter of the esteemed Reverend Ezekiel Hopehull Messer. She was the descendant of eight proven American Patriots.
Mrs. Gilliand was the oldest member of the New Harmony Baptist Church in Elmore County and was honored as such at the 2013 Homecoming Ceremony conducted by Reverend Adrian Cahill. For years, Mrs. Gilliand was the Manager of the Dollar General in Picayune, MS. After retiring as Manager of the Dollar General in 1981, she moved back to Wetumpka to assist in the care of her older brothers and her beloved older sister, Mrs. Jessie Messer Glasscock.
Mrs. Gilliand was a really fortunate lady. In a time in which many of our elderly live alone and are forgotten or treated cavalierly, Mrs. Gilliand enjoyed the love and respect of her family. Her younger sons flanked her home: Wayne lived to her right. Every morning at 6:30, the two sons walked to Momma's house and started their morning by having coffee with her. Throughout the day, Wayne and Vonnie would check to see that Momma's needs were met. Son Melvin visited from his home in Moss Point, MS, and when he couldn't visit, he made phone calls to his mother. Additionally, Mrs. Gilliand was blessed with wonderful neighbors: Captain Robert Moncrief and Steve Cochran were always available to help and never failed to lend a hand.
The point is: Mrs. Gilliand's family and community "did it right". Wayne and Vonnie ascertained that Mrs. Gilliand died in the familiar confines of her own home surrounded by family members and her best friend: her chihauhau, Buddy.
Pictured at right are four generations of the Gilliand family. Mrs. Gilliand was seated and surrounded by son, Wayne, granddaughter, Beth, and great grandsons, Caleb and Jess. Mrs. Gilliand also attended the wedding of son, Wayne: she was pictured with Wayne, Vonnie, and Reverend Adrian Cahill who conducted the ceremony. The wedding was a surprise event: Cecil, Wayne, Vonnie, and Reverend Cahill had conspired successfully for weeks to keep the event a surprise for her.
The collage pictured on the right was a birthday present to Alma on her 90th birthday. Her son, Wayne, had her bedroom "spruced up" with new comforter, curtains, etc. Wayne's friend (now wife) asked Alma if she could reframe her pictures and Alma agreed. Wayne and Vonnie each had input and this was the final result. Wayne hung it at the end of her bed. Alma told Vonnie it was her favorite thing in the room: it was the first thing she saw in the morning and the last thing she saw at night and she could blow her husband kisses. Forty years after his death, she was still blowing him kisses!
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to The Humane Society of Elmore County in honor of Buddy, the beloved Chihuahua of Mrs. Gilliand. Mrs. Gilliand surely rests peacefully in the knowledge that her granddaughter, Crystal, has adopted Buddy and is giving him the special care to which he grew accustomed.
On October 4, 1936, Alma Bernice Messer married Johnny Clarence Gilliand of Elmore County. They had three sons: Clarence Melvin, H. C., and Billy Wayne Gilliand, grandchildren: GIna Smoak, and Jeff, Crystal, Patrick, and Beth Gilliand, 10 great grandchildren, and a great, great granddaughter.
Mrs. Gilliand was the daughter of George Looney Messer and Ida Missouri Carroll, granddaughter of Reverend Benjamin Franklin Messer, and great granddaughter of the esteemed Reverend Ezekiel Hopehull Messer. She was the descendant of eight proven American Patriots.
Mrs. Gilliand was the oldest member of the New Harmony Baptist Church in Elmore County and was honored as such at the 2013 Homecoming Ceremony conducted by Reverend Adrian Cahill. For years, Mrs. Gilliand was the Manager of the Dollar General in Picayune, MS. After retiring as Manager of the Dollar General in 1981, she moved back to Wetumpka to assist in the care of her older brothers and her beloved older sister, Mrs. Jessie Messer Glasscock.
Mrs. Gilliand was a really fortunate lady. In a time in which many of our elderly live alone and are forgotten or treated cavalierly, Mrs. Gilliand enjoyed the love and respect of her family. Her younger sons flanked her home: Wayne lived to her right. Every morning at 6:30, the two sons walked to Momma's house and started their morning by having coffee with her. Throughout the day, Wayne and Vonnie would check to see that Momma's needs were met. Son Melvin visited from his home in Moss Point, MS, and when he couldn't visit, he made phone calls to his mother. Additionally, Mrs. Gilliand was blessed with wonderful neighbors: Captain Robert Moncrief and Steve Cochran were always available to help and never failed to lend a hand.
The point is: Mrs. Gilliand's family and community "did it right". Wayne and Vonnie ascertained that Mrs. Gilliand died in the familiar confines of her own home surrounded by family members and her best friend: her chihauhau, Buddy.
Pictured at right are four generations of the Gilliand family. Mrs. Gilliand was seated and surrounded by son, Wayne, granddaughter, Beth, and great grandsons, Caleb and Jess. Mrs. Gilliand also attended the wedding of son, Wayne: she was pictured with Wayne, Vonnie, and Reverend Adrian Cahill who conducted the ceremony. The wedding was a surprise event: Cecil, Wayne, Vonnie, and Reverend Cahill had conspired successfully for weeks to keep the event a surprise for her.
The collage pictured on the right was a birthday present to Alma on her 90th birthday. Her son, Wayne, had her bedroom "spruced up" with new comforter, curtains, etc. Wayne's friend (now wife) asked Alma if she could reframe her pictures and Alma agreed. Wayne and Vonnie each had input and this was the final result. Wayne hung it at the end of her bed. Alma told Vonnie it was her favorite thing in the room: it was the first thing she saw in the morning and the last thing she saw at night and she could blow her husband kisses. Forty years after his death, she was still blowing him kisses!
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to The Humane Society of Elmore County in honor of Buddy, the beloved Chihuahua of Mrs. Gilliand. Mrs. Gilliand surely rests peacefully in the knowledge that her granddaughter, Crystal, has adopted Buddy and is giving him the special care to which he grew accustomed.
Mrs. Alma Gilliand died Sunday, January 11, 2015, in her home attended by her beloved son, Wayne Gilliand, and his wife, Vonnie, whom Alma considered her best friend.
On October 4, 1936, Alma Bernice Messer married Johnny Clarence Gilliand of Elmore County. They had three sons: Clarence Melvin, H. C., and Billy Wayne Gilliand, grandchildren: GIna Smoak, and Jeff, Crystal, Patrick, and Beth Gilliand, 10 great grandchildren, and a great, great granddaughter.
Mrs. Gilliand was the daughter of George Looney Messer and Ida Missouri Carroll, granddaughter of Reverend Benjamin Franklin Messer, and great granddaughter of the esteemed Reverend Ezekiel Hopehull Messer. She was the descendant of eight proven American Patriots.
Mrs. Gilliand was the oldest member of the New Harmony Baptist Church in Elmore County and was honored as such at the 2013 Homecoming Ceremony conducted by Reverend Adrian Cahill. For years, Mrs. Gilliand was the Manager of the Dollar General in Picayune, MS. After retiring as Manager of the Dollar General in 1981, she moved back to Wetumpka to assist in the care of her older brothers and her beloved older sister, Mrs. Jessie Messer Glasscock.
Mrs. Gilliand was a really fortunate lady. In a time in which many of our elderly live alone and are forgotten or treated cavalierly, Mrs. Gilliand enjoyed the love and respect of her family. Her younger sons flanked her home: Wayne lived to her right. Every morning at 6:30, the two sons walked to Momma's house and started their morning by having coffee with her. Throughout the day, Wayne and Vonnie would check to see that Momma's needs were met. Son Melvin visited from his home in Moss Point, MS, and when he couldn't visit, he made phone calls to his mother. Additionally, Mrs. Gilliand was blessed with wonderful neighbors: Captain Robert Moncrief and Steve Cochran were always available to help and never failed to lend a hand.
The point is: Mrs. Gilliand's family and community "did it right". Wayne and Vonnie ascertained that Mrs. Gilliand died in the familiar confines of her own home surrounded by family members and her best friend: her chihauhau, Buddy.
Pictured at right are four generations of the Gilliand family. Mrs. Gilliand was seated and surrounded by son, Wayne, granddaughter, Beth, and great grandsons, Caleb and Jess. Mrs. Gilliand also attended the wedding of son, Wayne: she was pictured with Wayne, Vonnie, and Reverend Adrian Cahill who conducted the ceremony. The wedding was a surprise event: Cecil, Wayne, Vonnie, and Reverend Cahill had conspired successfully for weeks to keep the event a surprise for her.
The collage pictured on the right was a birthday present to Alma on her 90th birthday. Her son, Wayne, had her bedroom "spruced up" with new comforter, curtains, etc. Wayne's friend (now wife) asked Alma if she could reframe her pictures and Alma agreed. Wayne and Vonnie each had input and this was the final result. Wayne hung it at the end of her bed. Alma told Vonnie it was her favorite thing in the room: it was the first thing she saw in the morning and the last thing she saw at night and she could blow her husband kisses. Forty years after his death, she was still blowing him kisses!
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to The Humane Society of Elmore County in honor of Buddy, the beloved Chihuahua of Mrs. Gilliand. Mrs. Gilliand surely rests peacefully in the knowledge that her granddaughter, Crystal, has adopted Buddy and is giving him the special care to which he grew accustomed.
On October 4, 1936, Alma Bernice Messer married Johnny Clarence Gilliand of Elmore County. They had three sons: Clarence Melvin, H. C., and Billy Wayne Gilliand, grandchildren: GIna Smoak, and Jeff, Crystal, Patrick, and Beth Gilliand, 10 great grandchildren, and a great, great granddaughter.
Mrs. Gilliand was the daughter of George Looney Messer and Ida Missouri Carroll, granddaughter of Reverend Benjamin Franklin Messer, and great granddaughter of the esteemed Reverend Ezekiel Hopehull Messer. She was the descendant of eight proven American Patriots.
Mrs. Gilliand was the oldest member of the New Harmony Baptist Church in Elmore County and was honored as such at the 2013 Homecoming Ceremony conducted by Reverend Adrian Cahill. For years, Mrs. Gilliand was the Manager of the Dollar General in Picayune, MS. After retiring as Manager of the Dollar General in 1981, she moved back to Wetumpka to assist in the care of her older brothers and her beloved older sister, Mrs. Jessie Messer Glasscock.
Mrs. Gilliand was a really fortunate lady. In a time in which many of our elderly live alone and are forgotten or treated cavalierly, Mrs. Gilliand enjoyed the love and respect of her family. Her younger sons flanked her home: Wayne lived to her right. Every morning at 6:30, the two sons walked to Momma's house and started their morning by having coffee with her. Throughout the day, Wayne and Vonnie would check to see that Momma's needs were met. Son Melvin visited from his home in Moss Point, MS, and when he couldn't visit, he made phone calls to his mother. Additionally, Mrs. Gilliand was blessed with wonderful neighbors: Captain Robert Moncrief and Steve Cochran were always available to help and never failed to lend a hand.
The point is: Mrs. Gilliand's family and community "did it right". Wayne and Vonnie ascertained that Mrs. Gilliand died in the familiar confines of her own home surrounded by family members and her best friend: her chihauhau, Buddy.
Pictured at right are four generations of the Gilliand family. Mrs. Gilliand was seated and surrounded by son, Wayne, granddaughter, Beth, and great grandsons, Caleb and Jess. Mrs. Gilliand also attended the wedding of son, Wayne: she was pictured with Wayne, Vonnie, and Reverend Adrian Cahill who conducted the ceremony. The wedding was a surprise event: Cecil, Wayne, Vonnie, and Reverend Cahill had conspired successfully for weeks to keep the event a surprise for her.
The collage pictured on the right was a birthday present to Alma on her 90th birthday. Her son, Wayne, had her bedroom "spruced up" with new comforter, curtains, etc. Wayne's friend (now wife) asked Alma if she could reframe her pictures and Alma agreed. Wayne and Vonnie each had input and this was the final result. Wayne hung it at the end of her bed. Alma told Vonnie it was her favorite thing in the room: it was the first thing she saw in the morning and the last thing she saw at night and she could blow her husband kisses. Forty years after his death, she was still blowing him kisses!
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to The Humane Society of Elmore County in honor of Buddy, the beloved Chihuahua of Mrs. Gilliand. Mrs. Gilliand surely rests peacefully in the knowledge that her granddaughter, Crystal, has adopted Buddy and is giving him the special care to which he grew accustomed.
