Roger D. Gillingham, 91, of Washington, IN, passed away Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at Bridgepointe Health Campus in Vincennes, IN.
He was born on March 2, 1933, in Erie, PA, the son of Harry E. and June G. (Sternberg) Gillingham. He married Sue (Whitlock) Gillingham of Vincennes on Feb. 18, 1956, at Bainbridge, MD, and was by her side for 64 years until her death on July 21, 2020.
Roger graduated from Millcreek High School in Erie in 1951 and promptly joined the U.S. Navy, commencing a lifelong work in public service. Over his 25-year naval career he served in both Korea and Vietnam, and received training at the Supply Corps Officers School in Athens, GA, from August, 1958 to March, 1959. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School In Monterey, CA, in June, 1967.
Roger served aboard several ships, most notably the USS Beale (DDE-471) from April, 1959, to July, 1960, and the USS Chilton (LPA-38) from July, 1967 to July, 1969. He then served until July of 1972 on the Board of Inspection and Survey out of Washington D.C. His enlistment ended on Dec. 1, 1976 with his retirement at the rank of Lt. Commander and the uncommon distinction of “mustang,” someone who enters the service as an enlisted person and retires as a fully commissioned officer.
Following his retirement, Roger worked for the Washington (IN) Community Schools Corporation as an Assistant Superintendent. He was the director of the Daviess-Martin Special Education Cooperative, while earning his Master of Business Administration degree from Indiana State University. He then taught business at Vincennes University for 15 years and later founded and operated the Southern Indiana Book Exchange.
His volunteer work in and around Washington was widespread and well-known, including as a member of Kiwanis, Washington Community Concerts, Veale Creek Theater, Psi Iota Xi Sorority, Daviess County Democratic Party, Feed My Sheep, and was once named the Daviess County United Way Volunteer of the Year.
Roger’s interests ranged from watching most sports, anything trivia, listening to opera and traveling the world. He was a lifelong fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates and became a St. Louis Cardinals fan through marriage. He was also a follower of the Washington (IN) High School Hatchets boys and girls basketball teams, the Tennessee Lady Vols and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He loved Scrabble, Sodoku, crossword puzzles, puns, Humphrey Bogart, Petula Clark, and once asked if there was such a thing as a bad cookie.
Roger is survived by his seven children, Richard R. (Phyllis) Gillingham of Greenfield, IN, Robert E. Gillingham of Longmont, CO, Ronald M. (Karen) Gillingham of Yorktown, VA, Russ E. (Bartty Adams) Gillingham of Front Royal, VA, Thomas R. (Jamie) Gillingham of Vincennes, S. Renee (Rebecca Gardner) Gillingham of Sewickley, PA, Rory E. Gillingham of Erie, PA, and daughter-in-law Margaret E. (Litherland) Gillingham of Oceanside, CA. Also surviving are three sisters-in-law, all formerly of Vincennes, Lynda (Whitlock) Garland of Champaign, IL, Judy (Whitlock) Elliott of Aurora, CO, and Diane (Anderson) Whitlock of Denton, TX.
He leaves behind countless loving grandchildren, great-grandchildren, in-laws, nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and two sisters, Darlene Y. (Gillingham) Johnson of Waterford, PA, and Gwendlynne P. (Gillingham) Eisert of Erie.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Jan. 18, at 11 a.m. at the Goodwin-Sievers Funeral Home in Washington with burial alongside his beloved “Susie” at Sugarland Memory Gardens in Washington. Friends may call on Friday, Jan. 17 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home, and from 10 a.m. Saturday until the time of service.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alpha Psi Chapter of Psi Iota Xi, c/o Barbara Perkins, 464 S 200W, Washington, IN, 47501.
