Bruce C. Gilles

Bruce C. Gilles, 73, of 373 Allegheny St., Meadville, passed away Sunday, March 28th 2010, at home.
Bruce was born in Meadville on September 4, 1936, a son of the late August and Lillian (Carlson) Gilles.
On September 1, 1967 Bruce married Carolyn Hilsdon; she survives.
Over the years Bruces civil engineering career led him to various job sites though out the United States. He had worked on Adak Island, Alaska, for the US Navy writing contracts and specifications as well as inspecting marine installation projects; he had also worked for the Aleutian Construction Company in Anchorage, Alaska as Chief Quality Control Engineer of a multi-million dollar project; he was responsible for inspections on the construction of haul road for the Alaska Pipeline from the Yukon River to Prudhoe Bay and operations of the Atigun Pass section across the Brooks Mountain Range. In the continental US, Bruce worked as a resident engineer for the construction of airstrips and runways at both the Denver and Pittsburgh Airports; in Pittsburgh, he worked on several highway, bridge and subway projects. Other job sites included Buffalo, NY, Erie, Franklin, Greenville and Philadelphia. In his earlier years, Bruce had been employed as a 4th grade teacher for a year at Saegertown Elementary School and for a number of years had worked as a substitute teacher in Erie, Ft. LeBoeuf, Crawford Central and Commodore Perry. A 1955 graduate of Meadville High School, Bruce went on to graduate from Gannon College in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. During this time he also earned a Bachelors Degree from I.C.S. in Civil Engineering. He continued his education to earn a Master of Education Degree in Mathematics as well as a Masters Equivalency in Civil Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Bruce was proud to hold a Professional Civil Engineers License in the state of Pennsylvania. In 1955 Bruce began body building at the YMCA. Soon after, he had competed and placed second in the Mr. Maryland Bodybuilding Contest. He later began power and Olympic lifting and competed in numerous competitions. He coached his son, Tom, in power lifting and led him to second place in the 1992 Keystone Games. Bruce continued to enjoy the sport of lifting up until the age of 73. A former Boy Scout, Bruce volunteered his time with the Boys Scouts where he was one of the charter members in organizing Troop 244, in which his sons had participated. A member of Stone United Methodist Church, Meadville, Bruce was also a member of the Sacred Heart Usher Club in Erie. He was a life member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, was listed in Whos Who in Science and Engineering and was nominated to Fellow Grade of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Among his numerous accomplishments, Bruce fulfilled a lifelong dream of going to the Antarctica.
In addition to his wife Carolyn of 42 years, Bruce is survived by two sons James Bruce Gilles of Bird, AK, Thomas H. Gilles and his wife Carrie of Guys Mills, a brother Jack C. Gilles and his wife Judy of Mexico, a niece Jennifer Frohlich and a nephew Jonathan Gilles. Bruce was preceded in death by his parents.
Family and friends are invited to call on Friday 2-4 and 7-9 at Stephen P. Mizner Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., 404 Chestnut St., Meadville, PA 16335.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, April 3, 2010 at Stone United Methodist Church, Meadville, with Rev. John Vickers Spahr, Sr., Pastor of Stone United Methodist Church, Dr. Rev. Timothy M. Solomon, Pastor of Emmanuel United Church of Christ and Dr. Brian Jensen, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, officiating.
Memorial Contributions may be made to Meadville Public Library, 848 N. Main St., YMCA, 356 Chestnut St. or the Yolanda G. Barco Oncology Institute, 16792 Conneaut Lake Rd., all of Meadville, PA 16335.
Share your condolences at miznerfuneralhome@zoominternet.net