John O. Gilmore Iii

John O. Gilmore III, age 78 of Anna, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 17, 2019. He was born in Murphysboro on March 31, 1941, the son of Charles Griffin and Nellie (Mangrum) Gilmore. John is survived by his children, Robin Blumenfurth of Scottsdale, AZ, Christopher Gilmore of Chandler, AZ, and Lorna Gilmore of New York, NY; two grandchildren, Ryan Blumenfurth and Michael Blumenfurth of Scottsdale, AZ; wife, Pat Gilmore of Murphysboro; sister, Pam Regulus of St. Louis, MO; nieces and nephews; beloved dog, Beau; and his family at the Anna Elks Lodge. He was preceded in death by his parents; son, James "Jim" Gilmore; brother, Jimmy Gilmore; and sister, Susan Diesbach. John honorably served his country in the United States Army during Vietnam. He touched the lives of numerous children and families throughout Southern Illinois during his career as an administration for Tri-County Special Education until 2001 when he retired. John was a member of the American Legion and the Anna-Jonesboro Elks Lodge #1641. He served three terms as Exalted Ruler and was named Elk of the Year in 2017. He spent countless hours serving the children of his community through the organization. John was an avid waterfowl hunter and loved fishing, reading, and above all else - spending time with his family and those he loved. He will be dearly missed by so many. A celebration of life will be at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 21, 2019 at the Elks Lodge in Anna. A memorial tree planting ceremony will take place on John's birthday, March 31, 2020. More details to come. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked those who loved John to honor his memory by performing a random act of kindness for a stranger. Visitation Service Saturday, December 21, 2019,3:00PM-5:00PM Anna Elks Lodge 427 E. Jefferson St. Anna, IL 62906 Memorial/Funeral Service Saturday, December 21, 2019,5:00PM Anna Elks Lodge 427 E. Jefferson St. Anna, IL 62906