Michael "Mike" Gillett

Michael “Mike” Gillett was born on October 28, 1946 in Guthrie, OK to Vernon Harold and Helen Christine (Tontz) Gillett. He passed away Monday, August 19, 2019 in Oklahoma City, OK at the age of 72.  Mike graduated from Guthrie High School in 1964. He served in the Army National Guard for 6 years. He married Gwen Webb on September 17, 1966 in Guthrie, OK. They lived in Winfield, KS for 4 years, where he worked for Safeway Grocers, moved back to Guthrie and worked for Winn-Dixie and Humpty Dumpty Grocers. In 1988, the family moved from Guthrie to Geary, where he owned and operated Gillett Foods for several years, Mike later worked for Fed-Ex, retiring in 2008. Mike enjoyed golfing, was a huge OU fan where he was known as the “Helmet Man” as Helmet Man he would bring awareness to Parkinson’s research and was a huge advocate for the Parkinson’s Foundation; Mike enjoyed woodworking, his honeybees, hunting, fishing, singing, gardening, volunteering at the school, substitute teaching, was honored with 1st skills USA/TSA Geary Honorary Life member of Tech Ed Class at Geary Schools, enjoyed running (ran in the Boston Marathon), enjoyed camping and backpacking; while camping he was the last to go to bed, and the first to get up. He could out-fish just about everyone and he really loved his trips to Colorado.  Mike had Parkinson’s disease for 18 years, but he didn’t let that stop his activities; he was very active in the Parkinson’s Foundation and participated in the Parkinson’s choir. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, where he was very active in the church and choir. He was also a member of Harmony Community Church, Guthrie, OK, and board member of Medic West Ambulance. He loved the Lord first, then his family, loved playing and being with his grandkids. “Can’t” was not in Mike’s vocabulary, Mike was fun loving, if he could give you a hard time, he would; he loved to talk and visit, he was almost always the last to leave church. 

Survivors include: his wife, Gwen Gillett of Geary, OK, his children, Bryan Gillett and wife Marsha of Yukon, OK, Jennifer Barrett and husband Jeremy of Mustang, OK, and Jeff Gillett and wife Crystal of Enid, OK; his grandchildren, Allan Michael Gillett and wife Ashley of OKC,OK, Noah Gillett and wife Morgan of Moore, OK, Meadow & Ivey Barrett of Mustang, and Kensley, Jayli, and Whitley Gillett all of Enid, OK; his siblings, Bill Gillett and wife Clara of Rolla, MO, and Linda Crow of Moses Lake, WA, as well as many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon and Helen Gillett, and his brothers, Robert and Charles Gillett.  

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to Parkinson Foundation of Oklahoma, 720 W. Wilshire Blvd., # 109, Oklahoma City, OK 7316 or www.parkinsonoklahoma.com

Viewing will be at the Turner Funeral Home daily from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm and Saturday, at the Stegall-Long Fieldhouse, form 8:30 am to 9:45am all in Geary, OK, anyone who attends the funeral is more than welcome to wear any kind of OU gear or apparel.

Services: Stegall-Long Fieldhouse, Saturday, 10:00 AM, August 24, 2019, Geary, OK

Officiating: Rev. Charles King and Rev. Tim Ashcraft

Burial:  Sunset Cemetery, Geary, OK services entrusted to Turner Funeral Home, Geary, Oklahoma. Condolences may be sent to the family at turnerfuneralhomes@gmail.com, turnerfh.net, or you can find us on facebook.com (Turner Funeral Homes).

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