Robert “Bob” Clark Jillson Jr.

Robert “Bob” Clark Jillson Jr., 65, of Big Lake died comfortably in his home on Aug. 11, 2012, after a hard fought battle with esophageal cancer.

Bob Jillson was born June 3, 1947, at Providence Memorial Hospital in Anchorage to Robert Clark Jillson Sr. and Martha Jane Carlisle Jillson. Bob lived at his family’s beloved homestead in Tok and later graduated in 1969 from Lathrop High School in Fairbanks.

Bob married Lydia JoAnn Young on Jan. 27, 1973. They went on to have four beautiful and talented children: Juliane, Robert, Michael and Amy Jillson. Bob and Lydia later divorced in 1986.

In 1970, Bob went to work for Wein Airlines in Fairbanks and was transferred to Anchorage in 1972. Bob worked for Wein Air Alaska for 15 years until the company was dissolved. While working at Wein, Bob and his wife Lydia opened Great Land Family Store and Catalog Service, providing Anchorage and Bush Alaska with cold weather and hunting apparel. Bob also worked at Alaska Airlines for a year and a half before he purchased Big Lake Laundromat in 1986.

As a business owner and resident of Big Lake, Bob worked hard to provide low-cost services to the community. He went on to be owner and operator of Video America, Big Lake Laundromat, Reese and Rylee’s Café and Bob’s Mini-Mart. Bob greeted everyone with a smile and had a charitable heart that touched many lives and reached far into his community.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Robert Clark Jillson Sr. and Martha Jane Carlisle Jillson and stepfather, Ike Carradine.

Surviving are his children, Julie (JD) Schultz, Robert Clark (Jolynn) Jillson III, Michael Jillson and Amy (Ryan) Rodriguez; 10 grandchildren and another on the way; stepchildren, Tara Rockwell, Jim (Michelle) Rockwell and Daniel Dustin; brothers, David Messerschmidt-Jillson and Michael (Gwen) Jillson; sister, Vivian Joice Jillson Glabau; nephews, Daniel Jillson and Michael Paul Jillson; former wife, Lydia Jillson; and his former companion, Daneen Dustin. In addition, Bob leaves behind a host of family across the Lower 48 and many friends in Big Lake.

Bob’s celebration of life is at 2 p.m., Aug. 16 at the Big Lake Lions Den, 2939 Lions Court, Big Lake.

In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718

Arrangements were by Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory Wasilla.