Robert "Bob" Gillig

Robert “Bob” Gillig of Fredericksburg passed away in his home on October 13, 2021 at the age of 77.

He had struggled with a long illness and had been bedridden for more than one year. As his death approached, Bob was with family who expressed their love, held his hand, and thanked him for the many blessings he had bestowed on their lives.

Bob is survived by his son Steve and spouse, Angie, and their children, Lorelle and Jared Gillig; his long-time life partner Linda Pemberton, her son James Hammons and partner, Liz Lammonds, and their daughter (Lily). Bob also is survived by his sister, Janice Jensen; and his brother, David Gillig.  Bob was pre-deceased by his brother, Terry Gillig; his father, Theodore Gillig; and his mother, Edna Gillig (nee Graf).

Bob was born in Ohio and graduated from Roger Bacon High School in Cincinnati. Following graduation, he enlisted in the Navy and served on a destroyer during the war in Vietnam. After discharge from the Navy Bob worked as an electrician and later embarked on a 38-year career in engineering, service, and sales of industrial machinery for the plastics industry.

Bob was an avid fisherman and, when he couldn’t be on the water, could be found gardening and creating water features for his home. He met and engaged with many of his neighbors as a result of the time he spent creating beautiful flower beds and planting trees along the border of his yard. He loved fishing in saltwater or casting a line in a mountain stream. He made life-long friends, Brothers of the Water (BOW), while fishing. His poetic writings and musings about life and nature earned him the BOW nickname, Homer.

There will be no immediate funeral service. On Saturday, April 30, 2022 a celebration of life will be held among the flower gardens Bob created at his and Linda’s residence.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Friends of the Rappahannock or to a nature/environmental organization of your choice.

An excerpt Bob leaves from one of his writings: I would not change a thing…who is there to say the roads we did not choose to travel would have taken us to a better place. My road crossed a stream with a half-dozen hungry Bridge Browns basking in the sun, caught them and went upstream. Keeper Brook and BOWs all over 40 decades. As I continued the quest the bite began to slack off, but I chose to press on. The stream began to change, fewer holding areas, reduced water flow, open terrain around the banks. By now I was too far upstream to go back…so I went “one more bend.”  Now it’s time. That long hike back down the mountain, and find a better stream.