William G. Gillen

William G. (Bill) Gillen, 65, of Rural Monmouth, Illinois, passed away at 3:00 pm on Wednesday January 3, 2018, at his residence. He was born on October 27, 1952, in Galesburg, Illinois, the son of William E, and Marian (Engdahl) Gillen. Bill was raised ad educated in Warren County and graduated from Warren High School in 1970. He later attended Carl Sandburg College. Bill married Cynthia Barnes Rawson on June 18, 1977, at Immaculate Conception Church in Monmouth. Bill farmed all his adult life on the Gillen Family Farms. He also remodeled and built new homes with his brothers as "HMS" House Makeover Services for over twenty years. Bill had a love for life and family. He was a gifted jokester that didn't know a stranger. He had the ability to embarrass anyone and instantly have them cracking up laughing. Bill was a talented craftsman and mechanic. He would fix anything for anyone and he spent many years working on projects with his family. Bill and Cynthia raised their children in the same home Bill was raised in. Bill and Cynthia are the third generation of the family to reside in the family home. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Church in Monmouth He was past President of the Prime Beef Festival Beef Committee. Surviving Bill is his wife Cynthia Gillen of Rural Monmouth; son, William Patrick Gillen of Knoxville, Illinois and Nicholas Robert Gillen of Normal, Illinois. He is also survived by his grandson Caleb Hager of Waterloo, Wisconsin. Also surviving are his siblings, Peggy (Tom) Casteel; Katherine (Lonnie) Johnson; Ed Gillen, Jean (Dan) Butcher; and his sister-in-law, Ann Gillen, and many loving nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is preceded in death by his brother, John Gillen, one nephew, Doug Reynolds, his mother Marian Gillen, his father William E. Gillen, his mother and father-in-law Robert and Cleone Rawson, and a sister-in-law, Rebecca (Rawson) Troup. Rosary The Rosary will be recited at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, January 6, 2018 at Immaculate Conception Church in Monmouth. Mass of the Resurrection Mass will be at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, January 6, 2018 at Immaculate Conception Church in Monmouth, Illinois. Memorials may be made to the Immaculate Conception School or OSF Western Region Hospice in Galesburg, Illinois. A private family burial will be held at a later date. After mass the family plans lunch and to receive their friends at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Monmouth, IL.