If the child we were to adopt was a boy, his older brother Scott wanted to name him Michael. I suggested Stephen Michael but Scotty didn't like Stephen. When we found out it was a boy we had a long discussion and decided on Michael David. The morning he joined our family the social worker asked what name we had chosen and I asked to see him first. The foster mother who cared for him for a week had a small child with her who was crying. She was telling him he wasn't going anywhere, Stephen was going home with us. We questioned what she called him and the social worker who worked with the birth mother said when he was born she gave him the name Stephen Michael. I still get goose bumps when I tell the story. What a sign that this precious child was definitely meant to be mine. The 3 of us discussed whether we should give him that name but we decided our family had chosen Michael David.

He was adored by his big brother Scott who would be thrilled when he taught Michael something new. Michael was 22 months old the day Scott was killed.

When Michael was little he had a hard time saying Santa Claus so he called the man in the red suit HoHo. I still refer to him that way. Michael loved Playmobil, the castle was his favorite, and Legos. I became an expert builder until the day he said he'd put the new purchase together by himself. He was also a Star Wars fan and played with ships Scotty had years before. Star Wars figures, Match Box cars, GI Joe, forts, the family room looked like Toys R Us.

Michael always loved movies and we saw many on their first day out. Friends used to call to ask for his reviews. He has quite a collection now on DVD.

He attended Evening Street Elementary School like Scott and had the same teachers Scotty did for 1st and 3rd grades. He took piano and drum lessons, gymnastics, and played soccer and football. He was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout.

We have gone caving with the Boy Scouts in Kentucky, mushed a dog sled on an Alaskan glacier, learned to scuba dive in Maui and dove the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. We bungee jumped in Queenstown, New Zealand, climbed to the top of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and experienced a hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti in Africa.

Michael graduated from Thomas Worthington High School in June 2005.

Michael graduated from the Marine Recruit Training Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina on 25 August, 2006.

Michael was deployed to the Middle East (Kuwait, Bahrain, Secelles, Dyubouti) July, 2007 to January 2008, as part of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (22nd MEU). He was deployed November 2008 to June 2009 to Helmand Province, Afghaniatan.

Michael completed his 4 years of active duty with the Marines May 30, 2010. He received his Honorable Discharge from the United States Marines (4 years active duty, 4 years reserves).

He attended Universal Technical Institute in Orlando, Florida, graduating May, 2011. He moved to Savannah, Georgia and started working for W W Williams Co. July 2011. He adopted Miss Macey from the local pound in Feburary. Michael continues to reside in Savannah, recently buying a home. He and Miss Macey are enjoying a yard and fishing off the new deck.

Michael David Gillespie & Jessica Lynn Wilder

Michael met Jessica Lynn Wilder at Freightliner where they both worked in 2015. He proposed Thanksgiving Day of ’16 when they were here [in Columbus, Ohio] for the Ohio State vs Michigan game. What fun that was and the champagne corks popped. Luckily OSU won the game so the celebrating continued. Let the planning begin.

The wedding was in Savannah at the Mackey House on Oct. 19, 2017. Our family was blessed to welcome Jessica and her son, Justin, to the family. He was an adorable ring bearer. Michael and I did our Mother/Son dance, starting off slow then a funky middle and finished waltzing to Celtic music. We did a dip and he didn’t drop me.

June 2019 the 4 of us spent a week at Disney World. I had such fun with them. Two weeks later I was back to help as they moved to a bigger house in a lovely neighborhood. Better schools and Justin has a lot of playmates close by.

2020 was a strange year for everyone but we awaited the birth of their first child. The gender reveal was Michael’s birthday weekend, it’s a boy so we are buying blue.

The baby was due the second week of December but had other plans and arrived 5 weeks early on Nov. 6, 2020. His name is Matthew James. James was her father’s name, he died November, 2019. Matthew was Scotty’s middle name. After spending 9 days in the NCIU he came home and is thriving.

I1 Justin Arthur Wilder, born February 23, 2012, in Savannah, Georgia, the son of Jessica Lynn Wilder Gillespie.

I2 Matthew James Gillespie, born November 6, 2020.

The Wedding Party
Michael David Gillespie & Jessica Lynn Wilder	Michael & Jessica Gillespie Justin Wilder & Carol McClanahan October 19, 2017	Andy Beale, Nyall Sheldon, Scott Beale, Michael Gillespie