James J. Gillis

Gillis, James J - born June 20, 1927 in Huntington Beach, CA, died at 94 years old on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 after a short illness. Jim, a 14 year resident of Rossmoor, Walnut Creek, and his wife, Jane, had lived 46 years in Toluca Lake in Southern California. Jim was a proud graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a life-long supporter of the Fighting Irish, including a long tenure as President of the ND Club of LA. Jim was an All-American baseball player, played minor league ball, served in the Federal Bureau of Investigation for 10 years, and worked for Katz Communications. Gillis started Gillis Broadcasting Representatives with Jane in 1979 and ran the business for 20 years. Jim wrote several books about Notre Dame and enjoyed speaking to groups about his experiences and some of the history of Notre Dame. He made his closest friends exchanging jokes while participating in various sports-- the man never got out of shape.

Jim was proudest of his 71-year marriage to his wife, Jane. In addition to Jane, he is survived by his five children, Karen Vesely (Jeff), Kathleen Gillis, Kerrie Gillis (Ira Goldstein), Kim Giles (Tim) and Kevin Gillis (Anne Sculley), nine grandchildren—Megan, Patrick, Kevin Vesely and Kelly Tomanchek, Simone and Emile Goldstein, Melissa Nicks and Eleanor and Ruby Gillis and three great-grandchildren, Jackson, Dallon, and Arden Poag. A mass for Jim will be held appropriately on All Saints Day, November 1st at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Walnut Creek.