Richard J Gillory of Spring, Texas went home to be with the Lord on August 17, 2024, after following a two-month battle with cancer at the age of eighty-two. He was born August 26, 1941, in Houston, Texas to parents, Lennie J. and Artie J (Gray) Gillory. 

Richard leaves behind his loving wife of 60 years, Betty (Barrett) Gillory; daughter, Sherry (Gillory) Douglas and her husband Kirk Douglas; daughter, Terry Gillory and her fiancé Michael Welborn; granddaughter, Brittany Coburn and her husband Chris Coburn; grandson, Ryan Douglas and his wife Zena Douglas; great grandchildren: Holden, Hensley, and Huxley Coburn, and due on November 7th, 2024, Beau Michael Douglas; sister, Mary Louise Cavazos; as well as other relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, and sisters, Janice Gillory and Patricia Fendley.

Richard was hard-working and dedicated. He served in the Navy in 1962 and participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis in October of that year. He was honorably discharged on September 25, 1966. He then worked as a fire fighter in the City of Houston Fire Department for 21 years and retired from Station 31 in 1991 as a Junior Captain. He owned his own business, Gillory Custom Remodeling, that he continued after his retirement up until his passing.

He was an avid deer hunter with his best friend Wayne Klein, where they had a lease in West Texas up till this past Spring. He was also an avid fisherman who loved saltwater fishing. He and his wife owned a house on the water in Sargent, Texas for 25 years. He taught both his grandchildren the love of being on the water, from boating, fishing, jet skiing or just peaceful nights on the pier. Every summer was spent with family, extended family & friends enjoying the summer home.

Richard was an outgoing and fun-loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and friend. He never met a stranger, and loved to make people laugh and smile. He would play pranks, tell jokes, and was always being a hoot. He would wear bubba teeth and put on funny hats and glasses. He was even going to put poly-grip on his own teeth to keep the bubba teeth from falling out while going down a water slide. He did get a tongue lashing from his wife and daughters about that one. His granddaughter, Brittany, acquired that same quality from him.

Richard will be loved and remembered always, and we will always carry his memory in our hearts!

We would like to give special thanks to the staff at MD Anderson and VITAS Hospice Facility in The Woodlands as well as all our family and friends who have reached out to help us through this difficult time.