Dr. Donald Leo Gillespie died peacefully Thursday, Oct. 5, 2006, at his home.
Don was born Dec. 4, l907, to Patrick and Mary (Mulhern) Gillespie on the family farm. He was educated in that rural community and stayed two years on the family farm following graduation from high school in Wykoff, Minn. He attended St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minn., and completed his medical training at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1933. His residency in pediatrics was done at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. In 1937, he took a position with the Murray Clinic as Butte's first pediatrician. He met Mildred Nevin at the Murray Hospital and they were married Sept. 11, 1940, in Immaculate Conception Church. They raised three children.
Don was noted for his gentle nature and kindness toward his patients. He pioneered in the first use of antibiotics, exchange transfusions in infancy, and neonatal air transport. A leader within the medical community, he was a founding member and first president of the Montana chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was, also, president of the Murray Clinic and chief of staff at St. James Hospital in Butte.
He provided leadership in Butte's community as past president of the Montana Easter Seals Society. His many civic interests included board membership of the Paul Clark Home/McDonald's Family Place, board member of Columbus Plaza Highland View Manor, past president of the Georgetown Homeowners Association, and longtime memberships in Kiwanis and the Knights of Columbus.
Dr. Gillespie retired in 1984 after practicing for 47 years and caring for three generations of Butte's children. In retirement he enjoyed being at the family cabin at Georgetown Lake with his family and grandchildren. At dusk, he gathered the family to view the purple mountain sunsets. However, he remained a devoted Minnesota sports fan until the very end.
Dr. Gillespie was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred; their son, Bill; and his three sisters, Irene (Charles) MacMurtry, Catherine (Leo) Donovan, and Alice (Art) Sadler.
He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Donald N. and Mary Gillespie of Missoula; daughter and son-in-law, Charlotte and Edward Simonich of Butte; grandchildren and families, Chris and Michelle Simonich of Portland, Ore., Donald J. and Trisch Gillespie, Kaitlyn, and Colin of Helena, Dr. Steve and Jeanie Simonich, Caroline, Luke, and Anna of Houston, John Simonich of Austin, Texas, Michael and Destiny Simonich of Centerville, Ga., Kathleen and Ben Ostrom, Mac and Imogene of Seattle, Megan and James Thompson, Nicholas and Margaret of Seattle, and Nicole and Dan Flowers of Reno, Nev.
Friends and relatives are asked to join the family at 9 a.m. Monday in Immaculate Conception Church in Butte for visitation, followed by a funeral Mass at 10 a.m.
Memorials: charity of the donor's choice.
Express condolences at www.mtstandard.com/obits.
Published in The Montana Standard on 10/7/2006.
Don was born Dec. 4, l907, to Patrick and Mary (Mulhern) Gillespie on the family farm. He was educated in that rural community and stayed two years on the family farm following graduation from high school in Wykoff, Minn. He attended St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minn., and completed his medical training at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1933. His residency in pediatrics was done at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. In 1937, he took a position with the Murray Clinic as Butte's first pediatrician. He met Mildred Nevin at the Murray Hospital and they were married Sept. 11, 1940, in Immaculate Conception Church. They raised three children.
Don was noted for his gentle nature and kindness toward his patients. He pioneered in the first use of antibiotics, exchange transfusions in infancy, and neonatal air transport. A leader within the medical community, he was a founding member and first president of the Montana chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was, also, president of the Murray Clinic and chief of staff at St. James Hospital in Butte.
He provided leadership in Butte's community as past president of the Montana Easter Seals Society. His many civic interests included board membership of the Paul Clark Home/McDonald's Family Place, board member of Columbus Plaza Highland View Manor, past president of the Georgetown Homeowners Association, and longtime memberships in Kiwanis and the Knights of Columbus.
Dr. Gillespie retired in 1984 after practicing for 47 years and caring for three generations of Butte's children. In retirement he enjoyed being at the family cabin at Georgetown Lake with his family and grandchildren. At dusk, he gathered the family to view the purple mountain sunsets. However, he remained a devoted Minnesota sports fan until the very end.
Dr. Gillespie was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred; their son, Bill; and his three sisters, Irene (Charles) MacMurtry, Catherine (Leo) Donovan, and Alice (Art) Sadler.
He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Donald N. and Mary Gillespie of Missoula; daughter and son-in-law, Charlotte and Edward Simonich of Butte; grandchildren and families, Chris and Michelle Simonich of Portland, Ore., Donald J. and Trisch Gillespie, Kaitlyn, and Colin of Helena, Dr. Steve and Jeanie Simonich, Caroline, Luke, and Anna of Houston, John Simonich of Austin, Texas, Michael and Destiny Simonich of Centerville, Ga., Kathleen and Ben Ostrom, Mac and Imogene of Seattle, Megan and James Thompson, Nicholas and Margaret of Seattle, and Nicole and Dan Flowers of Reno, Nev.
Friends and relatives are asked to join the family at 9 a.m. Monday in Immaculate Conception Church in Butte for visitation, followed by a funeral Mass at 10 a.m.
Memorials: charity of the donor's choice.
Express condolences at www.mtstandard.com/obits.
Published in The Montana Standard on 10/7/2006.
Dr. Donald Leo Gillespie died peacefully Thursday, Oct. 5, 2006, at his home.
Don was born Dec. 4, l907, to Patrick and Mary (Mulhern) Gillespie on the family farm. He was educated in that rural community and stayed two years on the family farm following graduation from high school in Wykoff, Minn. He attended St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minn., and completed his medical training at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1933. His residency in pediatrics was done at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. In 1937, he took a position with the Murray Clinic as Butte's first pediatrician. He met Mildred Nevin at the Murray Hospital and they were married Sept. 11, 1940, in Immaculate Conception Church. They raised three children.
Don was noted for his gentle nature and kindness toward his patients. He pioneered in the first use of antibiotics, exchange transfusions in infancy, and neonatal air transport. A leader within the medical community, he was a founding member and first president of the Montana chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was, also, president of the Murray Clinic and chief of staff at St. James Hospital in Butte.
He provided leadership in Butte's community as past president of the Montana Easter Seals Society. His many civic interests included board membership of the Paul Clark Home/McDonald's Family Place, board member of Columbus Plaza Highland View Manor, past president of the Georgetown Homeowners Association, and longtime memberships in Kiwanis and the Knights of Columbus.
Dr. Gillespie retired in 1984 after practicing for 47 years and caring for three generations of Butte's children. In retirement he enjoyed being at the family cabin at Georgetown Lake with his family and grandchildren. At dusk, he gathered the family to view the purple mountain sunsets. However, he remained a devoted Minnesota sports fan until the very end.
Dr. Gillespie was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred; their son, Bill; and his three sisters, Irene (Charles) MacMurtry, Catherine (Leo) Donovan, and Alice (Art) Sadler.
He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Donald N. and Mary Gillespie of Missoula; daughter and son-in-law, Charlotte and Edward Simonich of Butte; grandchildren and families, Chris and Michelle Simonich of Portland, Ore., Donald J. and Trisch Gillespie, Kaitlyn, and Colin of Helena, Dr. Steve and Jeanie Simonich, Caroline, Luke, and Anna of Houston, John Simonich of Austin, Texas, Michael and Destiny Simonich of Centerville, Ga., Kathleen and Ben Ostrom, Mac and Imogene of Seattle, Megan and James Thompson, Nicholas and Margaret of Seattle, and Nicole and Dan Flowers of Reno, Nev.
Friends and relatives are asked to join the family at 9 a.m. Monday in Immaculate Conception Church in Butte for visitation, followed by a funeral Mass at 10 a.m.
Memorials: charity of the donor's choice.
Express condolences at www.mtstandard.com/obits.
Published in The Montana Standard on 10/7/2006.
Don was born Dec. 4, l907, to Patrick and Mary (Mulhern) Gillespie on the family farm. He was educated in that rural community and stayed two years on the family farm following graduation from high school in Wykoff, Minn. He attended St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minn., and completed his medical training at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1933. His residency in pediatrics was done at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. In 1937, he took a position with the Murray Clinic as Butte's first pediatrician. He met Mildred Nevin at the Murray Hospital and they were married Sept. 11, 1940, in Immaculate Conception Church. They raised three children.
Don was noted for his gentle nature and kindness toward his patients. He pioneered in the first use of antibiotics, exchange transfusions in infancy, and neonatal air transport. A leader within the medical community, he was a founding member and first president of the Montana chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was, also, president of the Murray Clinic and chief of staff at St. James Hospital in Butte.
He provided leadership in Butte's community as past president of the Montana Easter Seals Society. His many civic interests included board membership of the Paul Clark Home/McDonald's Family Place, board member of Columbus Plaza Highland View Manor, past president of the Georgetown Homeowners Association, and longtime memberships in Kiwanis and the Knights of Columbus.
Dr. Gillespie retired in 1984 after practicing for 47 years and caring for three generations of Butte's children. In retirement he enjoyed being at the family cabin at Georgetown Lake with his family and grandchildren. At dusk, he gathered the family to view the purple mountain sunsets. However, he remained a devoted Minnesota sports fan until the very end.
Dr. Gillespie was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred; their son, Bill; and his three sisters, Irene (Charles) MacMurtry, Catherine (Leo) Donovan, and Alice (Art) Sadler.
He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Donald N. and Mary Gillespie of Missoula; daughter and son-in-law, Charlotte and Edward Simonich of Butte; grandchildren and families, Chris and Michelle Simonich of Portland, Ore., Donald J. and Trisch Gillespie, Kaitlyn, and Colin of Helena, Dr. Steve and Jeanie Simonich, Caroline, Luke, and Anna of Houston, John Simonich of Austin, Texas, Michael and Destiny Simonich of Centerville, Ga., Kathleen and Ben Ostrom, Mac and Imogene of Seattle, Megan and James Thompson, Nicholas and Margaret of Seattle, and Nicole and Dan Flowers of Reno, Nev.
Friends and relatives are asked to join the family at 9 a.m. Monday in Immaculate Conception Church in Butte for visitation, followed by a funeral Mass at 10 a.m.
Memorials: charity of the donor's choice.
Express condolences at www.mtstandard.com/obits.
Published in The Montana Standard on 10/7/2006.
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