Michael Jerome Gillis, 58, died on Saturday, April 7, 2007, at Stanford Medical Center. Mike was born Jan. 21, 1949, in Walpole, Mass., to Everett and Shirley Gillis.
He is survived by his wife and 30-year companion, Jeanette Alosi; their three cats, Annie, Ruby and Betty; sisters Judy Hartmann of Walpole, Mass.; Elizabeth Gately of Brewster, Mass.; and brother Gregory Gillis of Norwood, Mass. He was preceded in death by his late brother, Paul Gillis, of Walpole, Mass., and his parents, Everett and Shirley (Dray) Gillis of Medfield, Mass.
Gillis earned a BA in history from St. Bonaventure University in New York in 1971. The following year, he joined the United States Air Force and served in combat during the Vietnam War eventually attaining the rank of First Lieutenant. As a B-52 navigator and bombardier, Gillis flew a series of bombing missions from an Air Force base in Thailand. Following his honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1976, Gillis lived briefly in Vermont before moving to Chico, where he earned an MA in history from Chico State in 1979. During the summers of 1979-1981, Gillis worked as a U.S. Forest Service firefighter and served as squad leader.
In 1981, Gillis embarked on a highly successful career in education, serving both as a history instructor at Butte College (1981-1985) and, for twenty-five years, as a lecturer at California State University, Chico. Upon his retirement from Chico State in 2007, Gillis was awarded the honorary title of Professor Emeritus.
A very popular classroom instructor with a gift for entertaining storytelling, Gillis was also a talented author and historian who published numerous essays and book reviews in journals such as California History, American Indian Quarterly, Pacific Northwest Quarterly, Journal of the West, Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, California Territorial Quarterly, and the Butte County Historical Society Diggin's.
During the course of his career, Gillis published three books, including Soper-Wheeler Company: A Century of Tree Farming (2004), Essays in North American Indian History (1990), and John Bidwell and California: The Life and Writings of a Pioneer, 1841-1900 (2003), which he co-authored with his good friend and colleague Michael Magliari.
As part of his research for the Bidwell book, Gillis undertook an exploratory backpacking trip during which he and his wife located and retraced the probable route taken by the Bidwell-Bartleson party during its famous trek across the Sierra Nevada in 1841. Gillis later published an account of the trip, along with his findings, in an article that appeared in the Winter 1998-99 issue of the Overland Journal.
An active member of the Chico community, Gillis served as vice president of the Bidwell Mansion Association (1997-2000) and was a member of the association's board of directors from 1995 to 2005. Gillis was also a member of the Butte County Historical Society and the Association for Northern California Records and Research, serving as ANCRR's president from 1994 to 1998.
Gillis loved his cats, reading, his fruit and vegetable garden, hiking, backpacking and foreign travel. He also loved going on the annual "Guy Trip" to the Great Basin every summer.
A celebration of Gillis's life will be held on Sunday, April 29, 2007, at 11 AM at the Warrens Reception Center (341 Mansion Ave., on the north edge of the Chico campus).
Contributions can be made to either the Michael Gillis Scholarship (care of University Foundation, 35 Main, Chico, CA 95929), or to the Butte Humane Society (2579 Fair St. Chico, CA 95928). Gillis was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and was on the liver transplant waiting list at Stanford. Please consider becoming an organ donor at: www.donatelife.net.
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Published in Chico Enterprise-Record on Apr. 17, 2007
He is survived by his wife and 30-year companion, Jeanette Alosi; their three cats, Annie, Ruby and Betty; sisters Judy Hartmann of Walpole, Mass.; Elizabeth Gately of Brewster, Mass.; and brother Gregory Gillis of Norwood, Mass. He was preceded in death by his late brother, Paul Gillis, of Walpole, Mass., and his parents, Everett and Shirley (Dray) Gillis of Medfield, Mass.
Gillis earned a BA in history from St. Bonaventure University in New York in 1971. The following year, he joined the United States Air Force and served in combat during the Vietnam War eventually attaining the rank of First Lieutenant. As a B-52 navigator and bombardier, Gillis flew a series of bombing missions from an Air Force base in Thailand. Following his honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1976, Gillis lived briefly in Vermont before moving to Chico, where he earned an MA in history from Chico State in 1979. During the summers of 1979-1981, Gillis worked as a U.S. Forest Service firefighter and served as squad leader.
In 1981, Gillis embarked on a highly successful career in education, serving both as a history instructor at Butte College (1981-1985) and, for twenty-five years, as a lecturer at California State University, Chico. Upon his retirement from Chico State in 2007, Gillis was awarded the honorary title of Professor Emeritus.
A very popular classroom instructor with a gift for entertaining storytelling, Gillis was also a talented author and historian who published numerous essays and book reviews in journals such as California History, American Indian Quarterly, Pacific Northwest Quarterly, Journal of the West, Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, California Territorial Quarterly, and the Butte County Historical Society Diggin's.
During the course of his career, Gillis published three books, including Soper-Wheeler Company: A Century of Tree Farming (2004), Essays in North American Indian History (1990), and John Bidwell and California: The Life and Writings of a Pioneer, 1841-1900 (2003), which he co-authored with his good friend and colleague Michael Magliari.
As part of his research for the Bidwell book, Gillis undertook an exploratory backpacking trip during which he and his wife located and retraced the probable route taken by the Bidwell-Bartleson party during its famous trek across the Sierra Nevada in 1841. Gillis later published an account of the trip, along with his findings, in an article that appeared in the Winter 1998-99 issue of the Overland Journal.
An active member of the Chico community, Gillis served as vice president of the Bidwell Mansion Association (1997-2000) and was a member of the association's board of directors from 1995 to 2005. Gillis was also a member of the Butte County Historical Society and the Association for Northern California Records and Research, serving as ANCRR's president from 1994 to 1998.
Gillis loved his cats, reading, his fruit and vegetable garden, hiking, backpacking and foreign travel. He also loved going on the annual "Guy Trip" to the Great Basin every summer.
A celebration of Gillis's life will be held on Sunday, April 29, 2007, at 11 AM at the Warrens Reception Center (341 Mansion Ave., on the north edge of the Chico campus).
Contributions can be made to either the Michael Gillis Scholarship (care of University Foundation, 35 Main, Chico, CA 95929), or to the Butte Humane Society (2579 Fair St. Chico, CA 95928). Gillis was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and was on the liver transplant waiting list at Stanford. Please consider becoming an organ donor at: www.donatelife.net.
logo
Published in Chico Enterprise-Record on Apr. 17, 2007
Michael Jerome Gillis, 58, died on Saturday, April 7, 2007, at Stanford Medical Center. Mike was born Jan. 21, 1949, in Walpole, Mass., to Everett and Shirley Gillis.
He is survived by his wife and 30-year companion, Jeanette Alosi; their three cats, Annie, Ruby and Betty; sisters Judy Hartmann of Walpole, Mass.; Elizabeth Gately of Brewster, Mass.; and brother Gregory Gillis of Norwood, Mass. He was preceded in death by his late brother, Paul Gillis, of Walpole, Mass., and his parents, Everett and Shirley (Dray) Gillis of Medfield, Mass.
Gillis earned a BA in history from St. Bonaventure University in New York in 1971. The following year, he joined the United States Air Force and served in combat during the Vietnam War eventually attaining the rank of First Lieutenant. As a B-52 navigator and bombardier, Gillis flew a series of bombing missions from an Air Force base in Thailand. Following his honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1976, Gillis lived briefly in Vermont before moving to Chico, where he earned an MA in history from Chico State in 1979. During the summers of 1979-1981, Gillis worked as a U.S. Forest Service firefighter and served as squad leader.
In 1981, Gillis embarked on a highly successful career in education, serving both as a history instructor at Butte College (1981-1985) and, for twenty-five years, as a lecturer at California State University, Chico. Upon his retirement from Chico State in 2007, Gillis was awarded the honorary title of Professor Emeritus.
A very popular classroom instructor with a gift for entertaining storytelling, Gillis was also a talented author and historian who published numerous essays and book reviews in journals such as California History, American Indian Quarterly, Pacific Northwest Quarterly, Journal of the West, Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, California Territorial Quarterly, and the Butte County Historical Society Diggin's.
During the course of his career, Gillis published three books, including Soper-Wheeler Company: A Century of Tree Farming (2004), Essays in North American Indian History (1990), and John Bidwell and California: The Life and Writings of a Pioneer, 1841-1900 (2003), which he co-authored with his good friend and colleague Michael Magliari.
As part of his research for the Bidwell book, Gillis undertook an exploratory backpacking trip during which he and his wife located and retraced the probable route taken by the Bidwell-Bartleson party during its famous trek across the Sierra Nevada in 1841. Gillis later published an account of the trip, along with his findings, in an article that appeared in the Winter 1998-99 issue of the Overland Journal.
An active member of the Chico community, Gillis served as vice president of the Bidwell Mansion Association (1997-2000) and was a member of the association's board of directors from 1995 to 2005. Gillis was also a member of the Butte County Historical Society and the Association for Northern California Records and Research, serving as ANCRR's president from 1994 to 1998.
Gillis loved his cats, reading, his fruit and vegetable garden, hiking, backpacking and foreign travel. He also loved going on the annual "Guy Trip" to the Great Basin every summer.
A celebration of Gillis's life will be held on Sunday, April 29, 2007, at 11 AM at the Warrens Reception Center (341 Mansion Ave., on the north edge of the Chico campus).
Contributions can be made to either the Michael Gillis Scholarship (care of University Foundation, 35 Main, Chico, CA 95929), or to the Butte Humane Society (2579 Fair St. Chico, CA 95928). Gillis was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and was on the liver transplant waiting list at Stanford. Please consider becoming an organ donor at: www.donatelife.net.
logo
Published in Chico Enterprise-Record on Apr. 17, 2007
He is survived by his wife and 30-year companion, Jeanette Alosi; their three cats, Annie, Ruby and Betty; sisters Judy Hartmann of Walpole, Mass.; Elizabeth Gately of Brewster, Mass.; and brother Gregory Gillis of Norwood, Mass. He was preceded in death by his late brother, Paul Gillis, of Walpole, Mass., and his parents, Everett and Shirley (Dray) Gillis of Medfield, Mass.
Gillis earned a BA in history from St. Bonaventure University in New York in 1971. The following year, he joined the United States Air Force and served in combat during the Vietnam War eventually attaining the rank of First Lieutenant. As a B-52 navigator and bombardier, Gillis flew a series of bombing missions from an Air Force base in Thailand. Following his honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1976, Gillis lived briefly in Vermont before moving to Chico, where he earned an MA in history from Chico State in 1979. During the summers of 1979-1981, Gillis worked as a U.S. Forest Service firefighter and served as squad leader.
In 1981, Gillis embarked on a highly successful career in education, serving both as a history instructor at Butte College (1981-1985) and, for twenty-five years, as a lecturer at California State University, Chico. Upon his retirement from Chico State in 2007, Gillis was awarded the honorary title of Professor Emeritus.
A very popular classroom instructor with a gift for entertaining storytelling, Gillis was also a talented author and historian who published numerous essays and book reviews in journals such as California History, American Indian Quarterly, Pacific Northwest Quarterly, Journal of the West, Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, California Territorial Quarterly, and the Butte County Historical Society Diggin's.
During the course of his career, Gillis published three books, including Soper-Wheeler Company: A Century of Tree Farming (2004), Essays in North American Indian History (1990), and John Bidwell and California: The Life and Writings of a Pioneer, 1841-1900 (2003), which he co-authored with his good friend and colleague Michael Magliari.
As part of his research for the Bidwell book, Gillis undertook an exploratory backpacking trip during which he and his wife located and retraced the probable route taken by the Bidwell-Bartleson party during its famous trek across the Sierra Nevada in 1841. Gillis later published an account of the trip, along with his findings, in an article that appeared in the Winter 1998-99 issue of the Overland Journal.
An active member of the Chico community, Gillis served as vice president of the Bidwell Mansion Association (1997-2000) and was a member of the association's board of directors from 1995 to 2005. Gillis was also a member of the Butte County Historical Society and the Association for Northern California Records and Research, serving as ANCRR's president from 1994 to 1998.
Gillis loved his cats, reading, his fruit and vegetable garden, hiking, backpacking and foreign travel. He also loved going on the annual "Guy Trip" to the Great Basin every summer.
A celebration of Gillis's life will be held on Sunday, April 29, 2007, at 11 AM at the Warrens Reception Center (341 Mansion Ave., on the north edge of the Chico campus).
Contributions can be made to either the Michael Gillis Scholarship (care of University Foundation, 35 Main, Chico, CA 95929), or to the Butte Humane Society (2579 Fair St. Chico, CA 95928). Gillis was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and was on the liver transplant waiting list at Stanford. Please consider becoming an organ donor at: www.donatelife.net.
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Published in Chico Enterprise-Record on Apr. 17, 2007
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