Roger D. Gillis Sr.

Roger D. Gillis Sr.

Ainsworth

Roger D. Gillis Sr., 74, of Ainsworth, died Sunday, August 21, 2022, at Lantern Park Specialty Care in Coralville.

His body has been cremated and a celebration of his life will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, August 27, 2022, at the Ainsworth Opera House. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the celebration at the Ainsworth Opera House. The celebration will be live-streamed on the Beatty-Peterseim Facebook page and YouTube channel. Memorials may be designated to the Ainsworth Fire Department or the Ainsworth 1st Responders.

Roger was born September 10, 1947, in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, the son of Sanford Earl and Pansey May (Derby) Gillis. He graduated from Pekin High School and was united in marriage to Sharon Kay Schultz, August 19, 1967, at the Ainsworth Community Church.

In his early years of employment, he worked the wheat harvest traveling from Canada to Texas. He was also employed with LL Pelling in North Liberty, Rath Packing in Columbus Junction, Central Soya/Mastermix Feeds in Washington, owned and operated Gillis Transport and retired after 25-plus years with Heartland Express, celebrating 3 million consecutive miles accident free.

He was a member of the Ainsworth Fire Department and Ainsworth 1st Responders. He was a long time volunteer with the Ainsworth Opera House and the Washington County Fair.

Survivors include special friend, Alice Foster of Burlington; children, Lori (Mark) Cavin of Ainsworth and Roger Gillis Jr. of Needville, TX; grandchildren, Lindsey, Sedrick, Eli, Trina, Seth, Sierra and Wyatt; and great-grandchildren, Lydia, Emma and Noah.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Sharon; brother, Ivan Gillis; and sister, Mary Ann McReynolds.