MT. VERNON - Virginia Belle Gillespie, 77, a resident of United Methodist Village in Lawrenceville and formerly of Mt. Carmel, went to be with the Lord on June 13, 2011. She was born on February 25, 1934, in rural Bluford, the daughter of Gleason and Loe (Branson) Byars. She married James R. Gillespie on June 5, 1955, in Bluford, and he survives. Virginia retired from Hocking Oil in 2001, previously worked in the Wabash County Treasurer's Office and was the first director of the Wabash County Senior Citizens' Center. She was a member of the First General Baptist Church in Mt. Carmel and an auxiliary member of the Edwards/Wabash County Camp of Gideons International. Surviving are her husband; sons, Kevin (Eleanor) Gillespie of Herrin and Wayne (Georgia) Gillespie of Syracuse, N.Y.; daughter, Sherry (Erich) Meyer of Stendal, Ind.; sister, Leatrice Angle of Mt. Vernon; grandchildren, Trina (Kirk) Byram of Evansville, Ind., Tally (Josh) Sokeland of Princeton, Ind., Clint (Krista) Coleman of Hazelton, Ind., and Elizabeth and Timothy Gillespie of Herrin; and seven great-grandchildren, Kailyn and Hailee Meeks, Saige and Gabe Byram, and Jax, Quin and Knox Coleman. Preceding her in death were her parents. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the chapel of Short Funeral Home with burial at 2:30 p.m. in Wells Chapel Cemetery, rural Jefferson County. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Short Funeral Home in Mt. Carmel. Memorial contributions may be made to the Auten Center, United Methodist Village, Lawrenceville, IL and to Gideons International. Condolences may be made online at www.short-cunninghamfh.com.