40, Sydney
Beloved son, brother, grandson, uncle died peacefully in his home at Celtic Court on Jan. 1, 2011.
Born in Sydney on July 6, 1970, John-John was the son of John and Mary Margaret Gillis and brother of Karen (Travis Payzant), Cathy (Neil MacDonald) and Patricia (Doug Dufour).
John-John was a graduate of the Nova Scotia Community College. He loved music, friends and laughter. He was a former Y’s man and life-long Montreal Canadiens fan.
Besides his parents and sisters, John-John also leaves behind his maternal grandmother, Hilda MacDonald; two special nephews, Greg and Jack MacDonald; aunts, Margie (Tommy) Hartigan, Colleen (Danny) Johnston, Anne Louise Leith; uncles, Alex (Valerie) MacDonald, Francis (Karen) MacDonald, Peter (Patricia) MacDonald and Danny (Dani) MacDonald and many cousins. He will also be sadly missed by his special godmother, Dale (Tony) Orychock.
John-John was predeceased by his paternal grandparents, John and Mayme Gillis; maternal grandfather, Hector MacDonald and his aunts, Laurie McCarron and Bonnie Tobin.
Visitation for the late John ‘John-John’ Cameron Gillis will be held at the Pier Community Funeral Home, Whitney Pier, 1092 Victoria Rd. (entrance on Church Street) on Tuesday, Jan. 4, from 2–4 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral mass to celebrate John-John’s life will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011 at 11 a.m. at Holy Redeemer Church with Fr. Errol MacDonald officiating. Reception will be held at the Pier Community Funeral Home. Interment will take place in Resurrection Cemetery, Sydney Forks.
Donations in John-John’s memory may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, Montreal.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care and direction of Pier Community Funeral Home.
John-John was well cared for in the past several years by wonderful nurses and staff at Celtic Court and the staff at the CBRH, particularly 4A and 4C.
