Obituary of Doris Rosalie Gill

Chapel Hill Kind and tenderhearted. A champion for the underdog and the downtrodden. An extraordinary self-less and humble person, always thinking of the other person first, even after Parkinson's Disease had crippled her body. An exceptional volunteer. Her life was grounded in her strong belief in God, and her greatest love after God was her family and helping others. Her beautiful spirit shined through her kind eyes and big smile, touching the hearts of all who met her. She made people feel loved. She bore the pain of losses, without complaint, including living with Parkinson's Disease for 32 years and the loss of two sons and a brother, Stanley Robert Conniff, who was killed in WWII during a kamikaze attack on the U.S.S. Ticonderoga aircraft carrier. A beautiful soul, beautiful lady, beautiful mom, rest now in God's embrace for a life of service and love well-lived. Doris was born on July 20, 1925, in the small town of Hudson, Pennsylvania, the youngest of eight children. Her parents were Polish immigrants, who raised their children to love God and to live their lives with a good heart towards others. Even though Doris grew up during the harsh times of the Great Depression, her childhood was happy and creative and full of colorful stories about her outdoor adventures with her siblings and the neighborhood children, including, swimming in mud holes (which occasionally would need to be defended by rock fights), climbing (and falling out of) a cherry tree, and making soup with homeless people who lived near the railroad tracks behind her house. Her family's pet monkey "Monk" of 22 years also added much memorable joy and laughter to her childhood. During her teenage years, she enjoyed playing softball, riding her bike, and bowling, and was so athletic that she earned the nickname "muscles." She was coronated into St. Joseph's Church Women's Solidarity and was so artistically gifted that she was asked by the Church to draw the portraits of its priests. She went to work as a teen for Anco Products and then helped to support the War Effort during WWII, building engine parts for the B-29 bomber. She married her high school sweetheart, Edward J. Gill (now deceased), who used to come by her house and play his accordion while her mother played the piano. Doris and Ed moved to Chapel Hill, NC. in 1954, so that Ed could work for UNC. Six children were born to their marriage of 54 years: Sandra Cain of High Point, Eddie Gill of Chapel Hill, Teresa Gill of Hillsborough, Mark Gill of Washington, DC, and Chapel Hill, Joseph Gill of Kansas City, MO. (deceased) and baby Stephen Gill (deceased). Doris devoted her life not only to her family, but also to helping others, in particular, helping children, the elderly and the poor. Doris loved children and when her own children became old enough to attend grade school, she went to work as the Director of St. Thomas More Playschool, where she greeted the children with a big smile and hug. She put on special occasion programs for their parents to enjoy and spent extra time with any child who had special needs or who happened to be in a sad mood. After the playschool closed, she went to work as a school crossing guard at Glenwood Elementary School, so that she could continue to be with children and then spend the rest of her day helping some elderly people she knew who lived in the Glen Lennox area. She was so devoted to the children who crossed the street, as well as to the other students, that Glenwood considered her more a guardian angel than a crossing guard. Between 50 to 75 children crossed the highway everyday, and if one didn't cross in the morning, she came to the principal's office to see what happened to the child. Doris knew every child's name, and she greeted them each with a big smile, and if any of them seemed to be down for any reason, she always had a joke or two to make them smile and hugs were always available. Doris was so loved by the students and the school that in 1986, Glenwood Elementary School awarded her with a Guardian Angel Award for Superior Service to Students, which award was specifically conceived for Doris' outstanding dedication to the children. In addition, the students made her an honorary member of the student council and presented her with a ceramic alligator pin and a shirt with Glenwood Guardian Angel printed on it. In addition to her service to children, Doris devoted decades of her life volunteering in the Chapel Hill area. She volunteered at the Community Kitchen on Merritt Mill Road, she was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels for 15 years and she provided so many hours of volunteer work at the PTA Thrift Shop that in 1987 she was given the first award ever given by the Thrift Shop to a volunteer, the Foushee, Linker, Weaver Founder's Award, in recognition of her outstanding volunteer service. This list of Doris' volunteer services goes on but she would already be embarrassed by what has been mentioned - she was such a humble person. When asked by a news reporter once about her extraordinary volunteer services, Doris replied, "When I do something for someone else, I feel better. As long as I'm able to, I will." And that she did, until Parkinson's Disease prevented her from doing more. Doris enjoyed watching Duke and Carolina ballgames, making lasagna and her Polish pierogies. But most of all she enjoyed a good cup of coffee and always a box of chocolates. Doris passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on March 29, 2014. She was 88 years old. Doris will be greatly missed, but now there is another angel in heaven. Doris was preceded in death by her husband, Edward J. Gill, her son Joseph P. Gill of Kansas City, Mo. and her son Stephen Gill, who died at birth. Surviving are two daughters, Sandra Cain of High Point and Teresa Gill of Hillsborough; two sons, Eddie Gill of Chapel Hill and Mark Gill of Washington, DC, and Chapel Hill; a brother, John Conniff of Salt Lake City, UT, a son-in-law, Woodie Cain (husband of Sandra), a daughter-in-law, Shellie Gill (wife of deceased son Joseph) and six grandchildren: Ashley Cain Thompson, Michael Cain, Kristin Cain, Matthew Gill, Maddie Gill and Stephen Gill and one great-granddaughter: Addison Cain. The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to all the loving friends, UNC Hospice staff, and caregivers for their care and affection, especially during the final days of Doris' life. Funeral services will be held at St. Thomas More Catholic Church at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, April 14 followed by a burial service at Chapel Hill Memorial Cemetery. A visitation will be held at Walker's Funeral Home in Chapel Hill on Sunday, April 13 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to UNC Hospice. Walker's Funeral Home of Chapel Hill is serving the Gill family.