Earl David Gillam

1933 - 2019

BORN

1933

DIED

2019

About

Georgia Tech

Earl Gillam Obituary

Earl David Gillam, Jr, age 85, passed on Saturday, March 23rd, 2019 peacefully at the Hospice House in Durango, CO. He was born on October 29th,1933 to the late Earl David Gillam, SR and the late Patria Gillam (Gladney) of Atlanta, GA.

Earl was a graduate of Russel High School in East Point Georgia, where he was an all-star athlete excelling in both baseball and football. Upon graduation, he served his country in the U.S. Army and spent two years in South Korea. He played baseball for the U.S. Army during this time. He sent every penny of his salary from the military home to his parents so they could have enough money to buy their first home. The depression years and those following had been challenging for his family. When discharged from the Army, Earl was signed by a professional baseball club in Kentucky and played one year for that team before moving on to the Georgia-Florida professional League for two additional seasons. He then resigned to enter college as a Math major at the Georgia Institute of Technology as well as Georgia State College. He graduated from Georgia State with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. He learned how to be a computer programmer when he was hired for his first professional job as this was before they taught computer programming in college. He was one of the original founders of what grew into one of the biggest computer programming firms in the south. He knew all of the original computer programming languages developed.

Earl married Shirley Yvonne Pinder, of Nassau, Bahamas on September 7th in 1963 at All Saints Episcopal Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

Earl continued to play amateur baseball until he was 40 years old at which time he took up Tennis. He had previously broken his right finger playing baseball and taught himself to use his left hand and arm as well as his right. He often dismayed his tennis opponents with his ambidextrous forehand abilities which he always seemed to find humor in. Earl continued to be an avid runner through most of his life often bragging that he could still run a 5-minute mile into his 50s. He was known for being able to walk around on his hands which he often showed off in parking lots for those willing to witness. He continued playing tennis through his 50s until he began to have joint problems, but his love of fitness did not fade and he continued to go on walks, do push-ups or whatever he could do for as long as it was possible.

Earl was an avid historian and could rattle off the birth dates, death dates, serving dates as well as random interesting facts about all of our presidents. He memorized things like capitals, populations and land areas of states for fun. He enjoyed reading almanacs and encyclopedias and loved music, math, philosophy, and reciting poems.

Earl is survived by his wife of 55 years, Shirley, his daughter, Etoile, his son, Richard, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

A private memorial service is being held at St. Mark's Episcopal Church.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Durango Herald on Apr. 2, 2019.

Memories and Condolences
for Earl Gillam

7 Entries

allen meadors

November 26, 2022

I met Earl on the tennis courts of Atlanta in the late 70's. He was wonderful to know as a fellow tennis player and friend. Unfortunately I totally lost touch with him when I married and immediately had children. Nonetheless we had several years when we played tennis at least weekly

This is an especially poignant period for me. in my memory. I had girlfriend I was teaching how to play tennis, she would come out to watch and was enthralled by Earl's double barreled forehand.

I just now discovered this obituary. I had been surfing around for quite sometime on the internet for Earl and just now, today, found this.

After looking at those photographs a lot has happened in the preceding forty five years

I can be reached at 404-273-3391 would love to hear from Earl's crew.

John J. Adams

March 10, 2022

i met Earl in a math class at Georgia State College in 1964 and we met a couple of times a week to share insights on the advanced math course we were taking. Earl liked to explore all the rabbit trails solving problems where I was content to just understand the principles. His intellectual curiosity matched his outstanding physical prowess. I could punt a football 60 or 70 yards, but Earl could throw one as far. I introduced Earl to tennis and soon I could not beat him with his ambidextrous forehands. Earl was blessed with Shirley, the most beautiful sweet wife. After I moved from Atlanta to Florida, I was only able to see Earl and Shirley on occasion,but we remained friends through rare phone calls over the years. Shirley, I know you miss Earl, but I know also that your are a happy, wonderful lady. It would be great to hear from you. (386) 295-3227 I have been fighting the effects of Parkinson's Disease for several years, barely able to walk now, so at 83 I'm getting near the end of the road. I am blessed to have Mattie as my caregiver. Looking forward to that glorified body.

Rick Spier

June 4, 2020

You were a good man, Earl. Thank you for being supportive of me in my younger years. Safe home, my friend.

Trudi

March 25, 2020

Prayers,sympathy & great loss to all who knew him-Knew Earl,Shirley,Etoile & Richard in 1970's for years while living in Atlanta...my life was made better in knowing Him & family..Trudi

Linda Soliman

May 21, 2019

Shirley and family, I am so sorry to learn of Earl's passing. I know you will miss him terribly, but he would not want you to mourn his passing - I'm sorry I didn't learn of Earl's passing sooner. Always remember:

When we bury someone we love,
We also bury part of our Heart.
But we shouldn't bemoan their loss,
because our Hearts, perhaps,
are all they take with them.

Sending love, care and fond memories.
Always, your friend - Linda Hadwin-Soliman

April 11, 2019

My heart is with you in your time of sorrow. Although no words can really help to ease the loss you bear, just know that God keeps our love ones in His memory (Jeremiah 29:11,12) ~MM~

Ashley Hening

April 2, 2019

Love and miss my Papa so much. I'm terribly sad that I wasn't able to say goodbye, but I have found peace knowing he is now in a place of comfort and that he is no longer suffering. I have so many special memories of Papa, and can still hear his voice. I will never forget his smile or his songs. He was always someone I could count on to put a smile on my face. Love you so much, and you will live on through us all.

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