The ranks of America's "greatest generation" are thinner today after Dr. Guy T. Gillespie, Jr. died on June 5, at his home near Pinola, surrounded by his four children and his wife of 64 years. He was 92.

He was raised during the hardships of the Great Depression, put his own life on hold to fight for his country during World War II, then quietly pioneered the practice of hematology and oncology in Mississippi, providing care and compassion to many thousands of patients during his 40 years of medical practice.

His children remember him as a man who taught by example to strive for excellence in everything, to serve others, to give rather than demand, and to live life with a good-natured humility. They describe him as a hero wrapped in quiet modesty.

"He was like that with everything," his son recounted. "He never talked about his service during the war, and brushed off the terrible shrapnel scars on his legs as mere 'flesh wounds.' When we finally coaxed him into visiting the WWII Museum a couple of years ago, he was amazed at how many visitors approached him and movingly thanked him for his service. I think it was the first time he ever thought of his sacrifice as anything special. For him, sacrifice and service has always been normal and expected."

Gillespie was born in the President's home on the campus of Belhaven College on August 5, 1924, to college president Dr. Guy T. Gillespie, Sr. and Lula Tyler Gillespie. He grew up on the Belhaven campus and enjoyed the Presbyterian summer conferences held there, during one of which he met his future spouse, Sarah "Tay" Anderson of Pontotoc.

Always a loyal friend, Gillespie often told amusing stories of growing up with neighborhood friends, Rowan Taylor and Bobby Overstreet. Later he joined the scout troop self-named "The Pelican Patrol" with friends Stuart C. Irby and Bill McCarty and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Jackson Public Schools and graduated from Central High School in 1942, where he was Adjutant of the ROTC battalion with friend and future college roommate Louis Lyell.

After one year at the University of Mississippi, Gillespie enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 1943, and qualified for the Army Specialized Training Program. After completing his basic training, he was assigned to a combat infantry company of the 75th Division. During the Battle of the Bulge in January 1945, he was wounded in action and was awarded the Purple Heart. After recovery he rejoined his unit and served in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.

After discharge from the Army he returned to Ole Miss and graduated in June 1948. That summer he worked in Glacier National Park driving an iconic red open-topped tour bus earning him the title of "Gearjammer," along with fellow Mississippians Buck Meek and Joe Pigott.

He entered Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1948 and graduated in 1952.

In January 1953 Gillespie married Sarah "Tay" Anderson in a ceremony performed by his father at the First Presbyterian Church of Pontotoc. They began married life in St. Louis, Missouri, where Gillespie had an Internship at Barnes Hospital (Washington University) and later moved to Ann Arbor to complete a residency at Simpson Hematology Institute at the University of Michigan.

Gillespie returned to Jackson in June 1955, and joined the faculty of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in its first year of operation. He also opened a private practice to focus on the unmet needs for specialized cancer care and treatment of blood disorders. At a time when some physician offices in Mississippi were still racially segregated, Gillespie chose to develop expertise in treating sickle cell anemia, a disease that uniquely afflicts African Americans.

Gillespie became the first board certified hematologist/oncologist in private practice in the state of Mississippi and through the years joined with other physicians including Dr. Van Lackey and Dr. Gerry Ann Houston and longserving office manager Ann Huff to create a larger group that eventually became Jackson Oncology Associates.

Tay and Guy Gillespie were founding members of Covenant Presbyterian Church where Guy sang in the choir and served as elder and clerk of session. They were greatly saddened when their beloved church later left the PC(USA), at which time they joined Fondren Presbyterian Church. Gillespie was an avid supporter in the early days of the Jackson Symphony Orchestra (now Mississippi Symphony Orchestra) and the Mississippi Opera Guild, both of which his father helped to establish.

He loved family, music, reading, travel, wood-working, croquet, listening to baseball on the radio, State Fair taffy, coin and stamp collecting, and jig-saw puzzles (and he considered it cheating to look at the picture on the box). To his family he was the source of all answers before Google was invented, and the exemplification of Micah 6:8; "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Gillespie became known as Dr. Guy to generations of campers at Strong River Camp & Farm in Pinola - a summer camp for children started by Tay Gillespie - and was always ready to help campers learn to play croquet or churn homemade ice cream, his favorite treat. He was equally famous for his homemade pear preserves, beefy vegetable soup, boiled custard (to which he applied scientific principles to consistently make a perfect batch) and his tomato relish (his mother's recipe) that still accompanies Roast Beef at camp every time it is served.

Dr. Gillespie was predeceased by sisters Sarah Barry Wilson (Mrs. David Wilson) and Elizabeth Haynes (Mrs. George Haynes) and brother Dr. George Gillespie (Charlice). He is survived by his wife, Tay, and children Julie Adkisson (Bill), Guy T. Gillespie III (Lele), Sarah Dabney Gillespie and Gordon Gillespie (Jean). Eight grandchildren: Knowles Adkisson, Hunter Adkisson (Sarah DeBoard), Guy T. "Ty" Gillespie IV, Caroline Gillespie, Grace Gillespie, Sarah Gillespie, Ryan Gillespie and Rebecca Gillespie and one great-grandchild William Cole Adkisson. He also leaves one sister Virginia Brock (Mrs. George Brock), multiple nieces and nephews, godchildren Louise Lyell Lampton and Richard Irby, and good friends and caregivers Teresa Brent, Doris "Cat" McLeod and Ulysses Brent.

A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, June 10, at Fondren Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi preceded by visitation at 1:00 pm.

Memorials may be made to the Guy T. Gillespie Jr. Endowment in Medicine, University of MS Medical Center, 2500 North State, Jackson, Mississippi 39216, or to a charity of choice.