Eddie Joe Gilliland

EDDIE JOE GILLILAND Graveside Inurnment services for lifelong Cortez resident, Eddie Joe Gilliland will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 12 at the Summit Ridge Cemetery. Eddie Joe was born on October 3, 1933 in Mancos the son of Edward Martin and Mary Elizabeth (Aulston) Gilliland. He passed away on Friday, December 5, 2014 at Southwest Memorial Hospital at the age of 81. On November 24, 1953 Eddie Joe entered the United States Army. It was there he defended his country during the Korean conflict. He was honorably discharged on November 23, 1955. He maintained his patriotism by becoming a member of the American Legion. He went on to work as a Warehouse Foreman for Home Stake Mining where he was employed for 40 years. On January 13, 1992 in Grants, N.M. Eddie Joe married Melba Palmer. During his leisure time, Eddie Joe enjoyed hunting, fishing and gardening. He also had a great love of cars. He was a real automobile buff and mechanic. His family used to say Eddie Joe's "first word was "car" not mama or papa." Surviving Eddie Joe are his wife, Melba Gilliland of Cortez; his step-daughters, Karen Harbuck of Alaska, Sharon Wilderson of Cortez and Kathy Gibson of Florida; three grandchildren, Joe Gilliland of Spring Creek, Nev., Crystal Gilliland of Bloomfield, N.M. and Travis Gilliland of Lehi, Utah; five great-grandchildren; his nieces and nephews, Lori Gilliland Haukeness of Cortez, Cyndi Gilliland Phelps of Ignacio, Colo., and Terry Gilliland of Reno, Nev.; and his brother, Leon Gilliland of Cortez. Preceding him in death are his parents, Edward and Mary Gilliland; his first wife, Ruth Opal (Wilderson) Gilliland; and his son, James "Jimmie" Gilliland.