Norman Lee Gilley

Norman L. Gilley, son of the late Charlie and Esther Gilley, was born February 25, 1942, in Mountain Grove, Missouri, and departed this life August 3, 2018. He was 76 years, 5 months, and 9 days of age.

Norman was a Mason at Mountain Grove Masonic Lodge #158. He volunteered for the Army, in 1966, when others were trying to run from it. He did three tours in Vietnam and was a Prisoner of War for several months. He spent 22-½ years, and retired as 1st Sergeant E-8 in 1988. He was one of the original founders of the 160th Night Stalkers Association, founded 40 years ago this month.

After retiring from the Army, he took a very short break. He couldn’t stand not being around his military family and his beloved “Little Birds,” as he called them. He went to work for the Department of Defense as a Logistics Assistance Representative “LAR.” He traveled the world with the troops to keep their aircraft flying. In one capacity or another, he was in every conflict from 1966 to 2003, when medical issues kept him from traveling with the troops. If not for his health, he would have been there until they threw him out the door kicking and screaming.

Norman never failed to help anyone he could, and he instilled this in his children and grandchildren also. He married his wife, Colleen, June 26, 1991, in Clarksville, Tennessee. He loved to get together with family and friends. On July 1st, they had a small cookout for his aunts, whom he treasured dearly, just so they could all visit. It was a good day for all.

Besides his parents, Norman was preceded in death by his step-son, Chad Burke, his uncle, Afton Gilley and his wife, Reda, and his aunt, Sylvia Sutherland.

He is survived by his wife, Colleen Gilley, of their home, two sons, Troy Gilley and his wife, Marcy, of Willow Springs, Missouri, and Josh Burke and his wife, April, of Springfield, Missouri, one daughter, Tammy Ballie and her husband, Jim, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, six grandchildren, Hailey Blair and her husband, Thomas, Jared Burke, Charlee Burke, Ashley Ussery, Nathan Ussery, and Blayne Collins and his wife, Amarissa, two brothers, Lawrence Gilley and his wife, Hilde, and Delbert Gilley and his wife, Donna, four sisters, Sharlene Reed, Geraldine Wilson and her husband, Alex, Ruby Tompkins, and Virginia Strunk and Billy Davault, three aunts, Doris Curtis, Wanda Gentry, and Ruby Wyscaver, and many, many nieces and nephews. Norman will be deeply missed by all who knew him.