Kenneth Ray Gillow

Ken Gillow, 75, a long time former resident of Wasilla died at his home in Vancouver, Wash., Aug. 29, 2002.

Memorial services will be held for Mr. Gillow at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Wasilla Assembly of God Church, 125 W. Riley Street in Wasilla.

Mr. Gillow was born Sept. 21, 1926, in Lansing, Mich. In 1949, he and his wife Francene moved their family to Juneau, later relocating to the Matanuska Valley in 1961. They homesteaded for many years off Hollywood and Vine Road outside of Wasilla. He opened his first plumbing store in Wasilla in 1961, where for many years he did contracting along with operating a retail plumbing store. He retired from the business in 1991 and moved to Vancouver, Wash., where he remained until his death.

Mr. Gillow was preceded in death by his wife of 42 years, Francene Smithson Gillow; his parents, Charles A. Gillow and Lanora Lewis Gillow; and by his sister Betty Gillow Kelley.

He is survived by his sons, Kenneth C. Gillow of Tokyo, Japan, and Timothy G. Gillow of Wasilla; daughter Pamela R. Gillow of Vancouver, Wash.; grandsons Shawn Carney of Fairbanks, Joshua and Christopher Gillow of Wasilla and Jason Pabillano of Vancouver, Wash.; and by his sister, Theola Gillow Sherman of Lake City, Mich.

As Mr. Gillow was always involved with his grandsons' sports, the family asks that memorial contributions be sent to the Fort Vancouver Football Booster Club, 5700 E. 18th Street, Vancouver, WA 98661.