Post by district5 on Jan 28, 2008 19:30:42 GMT -5
Grant Gillespie, dedicated volunteer at fire scenes
Veteran served under Patton, sold drainage systems
The Cincinnati Enquirer January 28, 2008
BY REBECCA GOODMAN | RGOODMAN@ENQUIRER.COM
SYCAMORE TWP. - Grant Franklin Gillespie's first date with Marie Held was almost his last. A member of Box 13 Associates, an organization that supports the Cincinnati Fire Department, Mr. Gillespie was in the habit of responding to fires.
He had a fire bell installed in his home, and "every time there was a bell that rang in the city it would ring in our house," said his daughter, Patricia Boling of Roselawn. He could then find the location of the fire in a black book. "Sometimes we'd hide the book on him and he'd go berserk," his daughter said.
He also had a scanner in his car, which alerted him to a fire on his first date with Marie. "He went to the fire instead of taking her to out to dinner and left her sitting in the car," his daughter said. She wasn't pleased about the turn of events.
"Chief (Bert) Lugannani came over to the car and told her not to get mad at him (because) he was a really good guy. She listened to him and kept dating" Mr. Gillespie, his daughter said. The marriage lasted for 42 years.
Mr. Gillespie, former president of sales for Bardes & Co., which manufactured drainage pipes, died Jan. 4 of kidney failure at Kenwood Terrace Nursing Home. The Sycamore Township resident was 92.
He probably attended more major fires in Cincinnati than most firefighters, according to Larry Schmolt of Price Hill, who is retired from the Cincinnati Fire Department.
"Be it the cold of winter or the heat of summer, day or the middle of the night, you could rest assured that Grant would be helping out in some manner - sometimes with a bucket of water and a dipper giving a firefighter a drink or maybe even a pair of dry gloves," Schmolt said. "Even after the fire was out, Grant would stay and help the firefighters roll their hose. Box 13 will live on, but it will be difficult to get many volunteers like him that over the years were dedicated to their task."
Born in Middletown on Dec. 8, 1915, Mr. Gillespie moved to Hyde Park at a young age. He graduated from Withrow High School and Miami University, where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi and was nicknamed "Bone Crusher." How he earned that moniker may be lost to history. "That's a story I never got," his daughter said. "He just never told me. When I was little, I found this fraternity paddle. It had Beta Theta Pi on one side and 'Bone Crusher' on the other."
Mr. Gillespie joined the Army during World War II and served in France. His daughter said he was once bawled out by Gen. George Patton because the tanks weren't moving fast enough. Patton "chose him to make an example out of," Boling said.
Many years later, Mr. Gillespie used to say, "How many people can say they've been bawled out by Patton?"
Mr. Gillespie went to work at Bardes & Co., which was founded by his father, Lee Gillespie. People called Mr. Gillespie "Tin Man" because he had a long career selling galvanized drainage systems, his daughter said. He used to say he was "selling elbows."
After Bardes was sold, Mr. Gillespie became a manufacturer's representative for the Ferdinand Dieckmann Co. Mr. Gillespie didn't really retire. He had an office in his apartment and worked three days a week until the last six months of his life.
His passion was his work with Box 13. He joined in 1945 and was the organization's longest tenured and most recognizable member. For many years, he served as deputy chief. Although he had to travel often for his job, he never passed up an opportunity to see an out-of-town fire or fire station.
Mr. Gillespie was a member of the Syrian Shrine Royal Order of Jesters and in years past could be seen driving a Mustang go-cart at parades. He was also a member and vice president of the Cincinnati Club, and a member of the Hyde Park Masonic Lodge and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Kenwood.
In addition to daughter Patricia, survivors include his wife, Marie; a son, John Gillespie of Glacier National Park, Mont.; another daughter, Elizabeth O'Donnell of Grand Rapids, Mich.; two stepsons, Mark McLean of Mason and Brian McLean of Oxford; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Services have been held. Burial was at a family plot at Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Thomas.
Memorials are suggested to the Cincinnati Fire Museum, 315 W. Court St., Cincinnati, OH 45202.
Veteran served under Patton, sold drainage systems
The Cincinnati Enquirer January 28, 2008
BY REBECCA GOODMAN | RGOODMAN@ENQUIRER.COM
SYCAMORE TWP. - Grant Franklin Gillespie's first date with Marie Held was almost his last. A member of Box 13 Associates, an organization that supports the Cincinnati Fire Department, Mr. Gillespie was in the habit of responding to fires.
He had a fire bell installed in his home, and "every time there was a bell that rang in the city it would ring in our house," said his daughter, Patricia Boling of Roselawn. He could then find the location of the fire in a black book. "Sometimes we'd hide the book on him and he'd go berserk," his daughter said.
He also had a scanner in his car, which alerted him to a fire on his first date with Marie. "He went to the fire instead of taking her to out to dinner and left her sitting in the car," his daughter said. She wasn't pleased about the turn of events.
"Chief (Bert) Lugannani came over to the car and told her not to get mad at him (because) he was a really good guy. She listened to him and kept dating" Mr. Gillespie, his daughter said. The marriage lasted for 42 years.
Mr. Gillespie, former president of sales for Bardes & Co., which manufactured drainage pipes, died Jan. 4 of kidney failure at Kenwood Terrace Nursing Home. The Sycamore Township resident was 92.
He probably attended more major fires in Cincinnati than most firefighters, according to Larry Schmolt of Price Hill, who is retired from the Cincinnati Fire Department.
"Be it the cold of winter or the heat of summer, day or the middle of the night, you could rest assured that Grant would be helping out in some manner - sometimes with a bucket of water and a dipper giving a firefighter a drink or maybe even a pair of dry gloves," Schmolt said. "Even after the fire was out, Grant would stay and help the firefighters roll their hose. Box 13 will live on, but it will be difficult to get many volunteers like him that over the years were dedicated to their task."
Born in Middletown on Dec. 8, 1915, Mr. Gillespie moved to Hyde Park at a young age. He graduated from Withrow High School and Miami University, where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi and was nicknamed "Bone Crusher." How he earned that moniker may be lost to history. "That's a story I never got," his daughter said. "He just never told me. When I was little, I found this fraternity paddle. It had Beta Theta Pi on one side and 'Bone Crusher' on the other."
Mr. Gillespie joined the Army during World War II and served in France. His daughter said he was once bawled out by Gen. George Patton because the tanks weren't moving fast enough. Patton "chose him to make an example out of," Boling said.
Many years later, Mr. Gillespie used to say, "How many people can say they've been bawled out by Patton?"
Mr. Gillespie went to work at Bardes & Co., which was founded by his father, Lee Gillespie. People called Mr. Gillespie "Tin Man" because he had a long career selling galvanized drainage systems, his daughter said. He used to say he was "selling elbows."
After Bardes was sold, Mr. Gillespie became a manufacturer's representative for the Ferdinand Dieckmann Co. Mr. Gillespie didn't really retire. He had an office in his apartment and worked three days a week until the last six months of his life.
His passion was his work with Box 13. He joined in 1945 and was the organization's longest tenured and most recognizable member. For many years, he served as deputy chief. Although he had to travel often for his job, he never passed up an opportunity to see an out-of-town fire or fire station.
Mr. Gillespie was a member of the Syrian Shrine Royal Order of Jesters and in years past could be seen driving a Mustang go-cart at parades. He was also a member and vice president of the Cincinnati Club, and a member of the Hyde Park Masonic Lodge and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Kenwood.
In addition to daughter Patricia, survivors include his wife, Marie; a son, John Gillespie of Glacier National Park, Mont.; another daughter, Elizabeth O'Donnell of Grand Rapids, Mich.; two stepsons, Mark McLean of Mason and Brian McLean of Oxford; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Services have been held. Burial was at a family plot at Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Thomas.
Memorials are suggested to the Cincinnati Fire Museum, 315 W. Court St., Cincinnati, OH 45202.