William F. Gillen, Jr.

On Monday, September 23, 2024, God called home one of his Chosin Few, William F. Gillen Jr., at the age of 94.

“Bill” was born to William F. Gillen Sr. and Mildred Prosperie on July 26, 1930. He was a resident of New Orleans for most of his life, but resided in Waveland, MS at the time of his passing. He fought in the Chosin Reservoir in Korea with the United States Marine Corps and there was no greater part of his identity, until the day he passed, than that of being a proud Marine. Patriotic to the core, he was as MAGA as MAGA gets. He was a carpenter by trade, a remodeling perfectionist, and a man with an entrepreneurial spirit and an uncanny level of genius and bravado. He flew planes, built bomb shelters in the New Orleans area during the Cold War, organized the non-profit We the People Speak of America to try and open the Kennedy Assassination files. His many business adventures included Aquabita Water Company, which bottled spring water before anyone had even thought to do it, French Quarter Restoration & Development and the invention of the S-Pile: the concrete screw piling for which he held a world-wide patent for 17 years. He was an inventor at heart and his mind was always at work on his next big innovation. There are people who go their whole lives wondering if they made a difference. Bill Gillen was not one of them.

Bill is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Mary Gillen; his three children, William F. Gillen III (Marie), Gerald “Jaybyrd” Gillen (Schelly), and Mary Gillen Halpern (David); two stepsons, Scott Foeller (Jennifer) and Daniel Foeller (Donna); and a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

He is pre-deceased by his parents, and sister, Shirley Power.

The family would like to thank the staff at the VA hospital in Biloxi, MS and Fr. Jacob Matthew Smith who provided him spiritual comfort. Graveside services with military honors and inurnment will be held on Friday, October 4th. 2024 at 12:30 PM at the Biloxi National Cemetery, 400 Veterans Ave. Biloxi, MS 39531. 

Riemann Family Funeral Home, Biloxi is serving the family.

An online obituary may be viewed, and memories shared at www.RiemannFamily.com