Ernest D. "Ernie" Gill

Ernest Duane Gill - Obituary
Morrison, Colorado -- Ernest D. Gill, age 71, passed away September 23, 2018 at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Lakewood after battling esophageal cancer.

Ernest D. Gill is survived by his wife, Jeanne Oliverius Gill, four children: Shellene Ellington (Chad), Kristina Larsen (Tyler), Katelyn Stueven (Andrew), Kimberly Kelly (Russell). He also leaves behind ten grandchildren: Mallory, Joseph, Devyn, Sydney, Ryan, Landon, Boden, Trenton, Aubrey and Kaelyn. He is also survived by his brother Lynden E. Gill (Ann) and several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Glen E. Gill and Faye I. Hemphill Gill.

Ernest D. Gill was born in Lamar, Colorado November 21, 1946 and was raised in McClave, Colorado on their family farm. He entered his military service through the Marine Platoon Leadership Class while attending Colorado State University and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation in 1969. He was designated Naval Aviator in 1971 and served as a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War. He honorably left active service in the Marine Corps with the rank of Captain in March of 1976 to return to the Gill’s family farm and to start his family.
His farming career led to an opportunity at Lamar Community College where he developed a Farm and Ranch Management program and worked closely with the FFA (aka Future Farmers of America). He received an internal transfer to the Colorado Community College Systems to advance their agriculture education programs.

He and his family moved from Lamar, Colorado to the Denver area in 1989 to further his career in Agriculture Education with the Community College Systems where he was Program Director for Agriculture Education from 1988-2002. He raised his family and worked in the Denver area until he retired in 2013 from the National Future Farmers of America Organization. They lived in Indianapolis, IN from 2003-2008, where he was Program Success Specialist Team Leader for National FFA. He and his wife Jeanne enjoyed retirement by RVing across the country visiting friends and family and other traveling. When he wasn’t traveling he was busy being Papa to 10 grandkids and attending their various activities and sporting events.

His love for his family, friends, Agricultural Education and the US Marine Corps were his pride and joy.

Funeral Service Arrangements: Thursday October 4th
Viewing and Service 9am -10:30 Foothills Bible Church 6100 Devinney Way, Littleton co 80127
Burial 11:30 at Fort Logan National Cemetery Motorcade to 4400 W Kenyon Ave Denver 80236
Reception to follow 12 noon at Northgate Event Center 3880 S. Lowell Blvd Denver 80236

Celebration of Life: United Methodist Church McClave Colorado Sunday, October 21 after service

Monetary donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the following foundations that were close to Ernest’s heart. There is a link on Ernie’s Caring Bridge webpage for online memorial donations: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/erniegill
Or donations can be mailed:
Mc Clave Methodist Church: PO Box 43, Mc Clave, Colorado 81057
Ernest D. Gill Memorial Fund in the memo line
Colorado FFA Foundation: Please reference In Memory of Ernest D. Gill Memorial Fund (Blue Jacket Society) Checks can be made out to Colorado FFA Foundation, PO Box 1000, Greeley, CO 80632
United States Marine Corps: Checks can be made out to Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. Reference Captain Ernest D. Gill Memorial
17345 Forest Avenue, Morrison CO 80465