Connie Marie Gillis

Services for Connie Marie Gillis will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 6, 2011, at Greater Saint Paul A.M.E. Church, 608 East Academy Street, Troy, Alabama, with Reverend Elijah Shafah officiating. Professional services will be provided by George F. Grubbs Funeral Home, Troy.

Burial will follow at the New Mount Pleasant Church Cemetery, Linwood, Alabama, under the direction of George F. Grubbs Funeral Home, Troy.

Visitation was held on Tuesday, April 5, 2011, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at George F. Grubbs Funeral Home, Troy, Alabama.

Connie Marie Gillis was the ninth child of ten children born to the late Henry Grant Gillis and Fannie Laura Browder Gillis. Connie was born on June 8, 1954, in Troy, Alabama and transitioned in Christ on March 31, 2011.

Connie was a life-long member of Greater St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Troy, Alabama. She served as a member of the Young Women’s Association and as a member of the Hospitality Committee. She attended school in the Troy City School System and graduated from Charles Henderson High School in 1973. She furthered her education through her employment with Wal-Mart, Inc., where she worked as a loyal and dedicated sales associate and department manager for more than 25 years.

She met and married Richard E. Ousley on December 14, 1971. To this union were born three children. Connie later divorced, and she and the late Leroy Russell, Sr. became parents of three children.

She was preceded in death by: her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry G. Gillis; one brother, Theodore Gillis; two sisters, Mary L. Kelly and Vera Pearl Gillis; and a nephew (raised as a sibling), Anthony “Bo” Kelley.

Connie is survived by: her children, Richard E. Ousley, II (Michelle), Reggie E. Ousley (Ramona), Leslie Marie Ousley, Lazette R. Gillis, Nancy L. Gillis and John H. Gillis; grandchildren, Brittaney McIlveen Barnett, Briana McIlveen, Japhia Jordan, Ryan McIlveen, Ashley Ousley, Sierra Ousley, Kyra Ousley, Kamerion Ousley, Kalynn Ousley, Domynyque Ousley and Jayden Gillis; her siblings, Samuel Gillis, Fannie King (Jimmy), H. Lewis Gillis (Gladys), Elijah Gillis, Vallanda Baker (Lorenza) and Cynthia Parker (Willie); nieces (raised as siblings), Deborah Smith (Will), Angela Kelly Stowman (Bill) and Anita L. Kelly; numerous other nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives and very devoted friends.