Darrell Gililland, Sr.

Darrell Gililland, Sr., 67, of White Deer, passed away, Friday, May 1, 2015 in Amarillo. Services will be at 10:00 AM Monday, May 4, 2014, at First United Methodist Church in White Deer with his son, Rev. Chuck Gililland, pastor of First Baptist Church of Buffalo Gap and Rev. Dr. Stan Cosby, pastor of St. Stephen United Methodist Church in Amarillo, officiating. Burial will be at White Deer Cemetery in White Deer under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Darrell Gililland was born on August 30, 1947 in Dimmitt. As a young boy his family traveled and worked throughout the Panhandle and Oklahoma. As a teenager he settled in Dumas where he would graduate from Dumas High School from the class of 66. After graduating high school he attended West Texas State University. While in college he met Becky Osborne and they would later marry on June 12, 1971 in White Deer. After Becky’s graduation from college they moved to White Deer in 1973 and they would reside ever since. Darrell worked for the train elevator for several years before joining the Texas Department of Transportation as an engineer tech. He worked and retired after 25 years of service. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of White Deer where he was very active and once served as choir director. Darrell was community minded and helped anyway he could. He served with the White Deer Volunteer Fire Department and eventually he would serve as the Fire Marshall. In addition to the fire department, Darrell also assisted as an EMT with the volunteer EMS Darrell was also involved with The Boy Scouts of America and helped with Troop 581 and was a member of The Order of the Arrow. In his spare time he loved to square dance with wife Becky and he especially loved to care for his grandchildren. Mr. Gililland was a very supportive father who attended all of his children’s high school and college activities. Darrell will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and he will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Darrell was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Mary Gililland; a brother, Charles Gililland and by his mother-in-law, Dorothy Osborne. Survivors include his wife, Becky Gililland of the home; two sons, D.J. Gililland and wife Andrea of Abilene and Chuck Gililland and wife Melissa of Buffalo Gap; a daughter, Cassandra Bond and husband Aaron of South Point, Ohio; a sister, Necia Trapp and husband Van of Amarillo; a brother-in-law, Leon Osborne, Jr. and wife Kathy of Grand Forks, North Dakota; his father-in-law, Leon Osborne, Sr. of White Deer; six grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials can be made to the National MS Society, P.O. Box 4527, New York, New York 10163 or Annie’s meals of White Deer. Special Notice: The family will receive friends from 4:00-5:30 PM Sunday at the funeral home.