Obituary of Max E. Gillette

Max E. Gillette went to be with the Lord on October 21, 2017. Max was born in Cherokee, Arkansas on May 11, 1924, the son of Philip E. Gillette and JoElla Ivy Gillette. At the age of two years, Max moved with his parents to Cheyenne, Oklahoma where he lived until going off to college. Max served in the US Navy during World War II and was called back to serve during the Korean Conflict. Max married Helen Cecelia Werner in 1948. Max grew up in the Baptist church in Oklahoma and continued this affiliation with churches in his various places of residence in St. Louis, Missouri, Warren, Ohio, Ridgewood, New Jersey, Tewksbury, Massachusetts, and Lyndhurst, New Jersey. In anticipation of retirement, Max and Helen moved to Unity, Maine and became active members of the Unity Union Church, United Methodist. Max was active with the Boy Scouts of America as a Boy Scout, an Eagle Scout, and a Boy Scout Troop Leader. He filled various volunteer roles through church and civic organizations and served as “Big Brother” to a young man through a mentoring program in St. Louis. Max had a successful career in business. He began this career working with International Shoe Company in St. Louis, Missouri, where he met his wife, then Helen Cecilia Werner. He continued his career with Ohio Leather Company and finished his career working with Collagen Corporation. For a time, his office was in the Empire State Building in New York City. During the time he worked in NYC, his hometown newspaper in Cheyenne, Oklahoma, published a story claiming that as a young child he saw a picture of the Empire State Building and said “I’m going to work in that building some day.” Fact or fiction? We don’t know, but work there he did. Max was a charter member of the Unity Area Rotary Club and served as its president (1992-1993). He was a very dedicated and loyal member, holding multiple Paul Harris Fellows, a Benefactor to the Foundation, and held the distinction of having the only 100% attendance in the club. Throughout the years, he and Helen enjoyed the International Conferences of the Maine and Canadian Rotary Clubs and made many Rotarian friends. When he finally did retire to Unity, Max dedicated his time to working with the Unity Union Church, United Methodist (now Unity United Methodist Church) as treasurer and filled many other roles there as well. He also worked as an Assessor with the Town of Unity. He derived great pleasure from tending his strawberries and vegetable garden and sitting on his deck, watching the beautiful blue sky and clouds overlooking Unity Pond. Max had a beautiful singing voice. It rang out in all of the churches he attended and in the home he shared with Helen. In his later years, he regularly burst into song with renditions of My Darlin’ Clementine, Home on the Range, You are my Sunshine, and other favorites. Max was an eloquent story teller. To the delight of his grandchildren, he often began these stories with “When I was a little girl….” Max is survived by his wife of 69 years, Helen Cecelia Werner Gillette, children Gayle Reed and husband Andrew Reed, Donna Gillette and husband John Moody, Barry Gillette and wife Linda Gillette, grandchildren and their spouses Laura Reed, Krista and Kevin Todd, Naomi and Jon Bergman, Sarah and Aaron Prill, Bethany and James Collins and Emma and Bobby Collins, great grandchildren Natalie Todd, Lena Todd, Brendan Todd, Max Prill, Sebastian Prill, Dietrich Prill, Addie Bergman and Abe Bergman and a close nephew and his wife, Gene Randall and Marianne Mckinney as well as many other nieces and nephews. Max was predeceased by his parents, sister Genevieve MacDonald, brothers Hollis Gillette, Jack Gillette and Joe Gillette. A service of celebration and remembrance will be held on Friday, October 27 at 11am, Unity United Methodist Church, 13 Depot St., Unity, Maine with Pastor Jen Reed officiating. Fellowship time will follow immediately in the church fellowship hall. All are welcome. Max was chairman of the Unity Area Rotary Club Polio Eradication Committee and was devoted to this work. Friends may donate to this effort via Unity Area Rotary Club, earmarked for Polio Eradication. Unity Area Rotary Club is an accredited non-profit organization.