Arnold Joseph "Joe" Gillie, 71

Arnold Joseph "Joe" Gillie died on October 2, 2006 at the age of 71. A native of Nevada, he died at his home of cancer. Joe is survived by his wife Emma Lee. They would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in November. He is also survived by his daughters Kaeleen (Steve) Bortz, of Naples, Idaho; Theresa (Chris) Vasquez of Martinez, Calif.; grandchildren Dirk, Kyle and Bethany Bortz all of Naples; Jessica and Joseph Vasquez of Martinez, Calif. Brothers Robert Gillie and Herbert (Doris) Gillie, nieces Susan (Justin) Langford and their children in Carson City, Nevada; Ann (Mitch) Crockett and their son of Gardnerville, Nevada.

He was preceded in death by an infant daughter Joelee, his father and mother Arnold Lee and Marie (Jeffries) Gillie; and his nephew John Gillie.

Joe was born in Boulder City, Nevada on May 18, 1935, where his father was a machinist on the construction of Boulder Dam. Their family moved to Carson City, Nevada in 1935 where his father was the master mechanic for the Virginia and Truckee Railroad. Joe grew up in and around the railroad shops.

He graduated from Carson City High School and started working as a fireman with the Bureau of Land Management and Nevada Division of Forestry. He served his country as a Marine.

In November of 1956 he married Emma Lee Larsen in Minden, Nevada. After his service in the Marine Corps, they moved to Lake Tahoe, Nevada, where he later became the fire chief of the Kingsbury Fire Protection District, retiring in 1985 from the fire service. He was very proud of all the young men and women he trained. Some went on to become fire chiefs and firemen.

Joe loved to hunt chucker and he knew the chucker country of Northern Nevada like the back of his hand and he took many of his friends to his favorite spots. Mackinaw fishing was also one of his passions on his beloved boat Battle born. Joe had many friends on the lake and he would wish all his fishing buddies to go catch a patch of fish.

Joe and his wife Emma moved from Carson City, Nevada in 1993, making their home in Highland Flats, Naples, Idaho to be near their daughter Kaeleen.

We, Joe's family, would like to thank all of his friends, especially John and Darcy Peters, Father Day, Dr. Lucero, Jack Miller, Ralph and Sandy Sletager, Dick and Judy Mace for their prayers.

Please send a donation in Joe's name to the Bonner Community Hospice, who was such a comfort to Joe and his family during his illness, at P.O. Box 1448, Sandpoint, Idaho 83864.