We lost one of the great ones on Friday, October 22. Jack Gillespie (76), a member of the “greatest generation” and a long-term heart recipient died at Johns Hopkins. Jack lost his wonderful wife, Shirley, in June and he just started leaving us after she was gone. They had been married for 53 years. Jack was in the Navy for many years and will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, where Shirley is waiting for him.

Jack received his heart transplant at Johns Hopkins on October 12, 1985, which kept him with us for 19 years and 10 days – certainly one of the longest-lived heart transplants in the DC area. Jack was very active in advocating for transplantation and he visited many transplant candidates and recipients to educate them and to show them that “Transplantation Works.”

He also devoted time as a board member of Transplant Recipients International Organization – Nation’s Capitol Area Chapter, the Transplant Foundation at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Transplant Awareness, Inc. (TAI) – an organization that markets items to promote organ and tissue donation.

Jack loved traveling with TAI to the Transplant Games to help sell T-shirts and bumper stickers and donor awareness pins. He attended the Games twice in Orlando.

Being a tax accountant, Jack had an interesting approach to his practice. He outfitted an RV as a mobile tax office and he traveled to his clients for many years, in his practice known as “1040, Inc.”

Shirley and Jack also were very active in coordinating and orchestrating the Kensington, MD Labor Day Parade. As a reward, a few years ago Jack and Shirley were chosen as the Grand Marshals of the parade. TRIO has participated in that parade for many years.

Jack will be missed.

Linda Cheatham,
TRIO President

From: Trudi Anderson
Vice-President

It is with great sadness to announce the death of two TRIO members, Donna Surratt and Jack Gillespie. Our prayers and thoughts are with the families.

Jack served as Treasurer for TRIO for many years. He and wife Shirley help coordinate the annual Kensington, MD Labor Day Parade. Jack had a heart attack recently and a stent was put in the damaged heart by the doctors at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He was recovering well and scheduled to be returned to the main floor the day he died. It is our understanding that he was sitting in the chair, finished his lunch and at some point put his head back and died. He heart was transplanted 19 years 10 days ago.

His wife, Shirley, died late July. Jack was valiantly trying to adjust his life without her, however her death was a major loss. Now both are at peace and together again.

The following Death Notice appeared in The Washington Post on 10/26/2004.

GILLESPIE, JACK A. (Age 76)
On Friday, October 22, 2004, of Kensington, MD, beloved husband of the late Shirley H. Gillespie; father of Jay L. Gillespie and wife, Janet of Gaithersburg, MD and Jack A. Gillespie II and wife, Jan of Mt. Airy, MD; grandfather of Jason L. Gillespie of Pennsylvania, Jennie L. Gillespie of Gaithersburg, Christopher M. Gillespie and wife, Kristen of Elkton, MD, Julie M. Gillespie and Patrick A. Gillespie, both of Mt. Airy; great-grandfather of Skylar A. Gillespie of Pennsylvania and Jason M. McDonald of Mt. Airy; brother of Ronald Gillespie and his wife, Rose of Texas, Richard Gillespie and wife, Kathy of Fallon, NV, Edith Ann Harrison and husband, Lloyd of Ohio; adopted father of Nesar Nusraty and wife, Soryla of Potomac, MD and his children, Jeffrey Nusraty, Anisa Nusraty, Alexander Nusraty, Weiss Nusraty and Star Nusraty, also Nesar's brother, Najib of Brookeville, MD, and his three daughters, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, October 28 at STAUFFER FUNERAL HOME, 8 E. Ridgeville Blvd., Mt. Airy, MD. Graveside services and interment with military honors will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 10 at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA. Those wishing to attend should meet at the Administration Building at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine, 100 N. Charles St., Suite 400, Baltimore, MD 21201, Attn: Tracey Church.

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