Obituary of Craig Gillum

Craig M. Gillum, 44 peacefully passed from this life on August 3, 2011, at MRMC to be with his family in Heaven, where they greeted him with open arms. Craig was born December 16, 1966 near Detroit, MI, before moving to Ocala with his parents in 1980. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife, Kristi, their beautiful children, Melissa, 14, and Joshua, 9, his brothers Brian and Patrick, and his sister Cheryl. He is preceded in death by his dear parents, Marvin and Alice. Craig is a graduate of FSU where he earned his BS degree in Hospitality Mgt. and managed several restaurants in the southeast before transitioning into print media as Regional Director of Sales for Ocala Style magazine and was named Sales Manager of the Year in 2005 by the FL Magazine Association. He served on the Board of the MRMC Foundation for six years and was a key fundraiser for the foundation. He served on the Board of the Marion County Public Education Foundation, and was a member of the Silver Springs Rotary Club. He was recognized for his many benevolent contributions to his community as one of the "Men of Marion" in 2007. Craig cherished his family dearly and was a friend to all he met. He loved music, cooking and entertaining guests with Kristi, traveling, and hunting and fishing trips with his close friends. He will long be remembered for his infectious smile and zest for life. His memorial service will be held on Monday at 11:00 AM at First Baptist Church, 2801 Maricamp Road, Ocala, FL 34471. Messages to the family can be sent to www.hiers-baxley.com. In lieu of flowers, the family has set up a memorial fund for Craig's children. Contributions may be written to Craig Gillum Memorial Fund and mailed to Gateway Bank of Central FL, 1632 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, FL 34470.