Gilpin, William P. 'Bill'

William P. “Bill” Gilpin, 81, longtime Iowa City businessman, died Wednesday, March 3, 2010,  at Mercy Hospice from complications related to dementia. Visitation will be today from 3 to 7 p.m. at Lensing Funeral Service, Iowa City, where the family invites friends to share memories at 6:30 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Iowa City. Burial, with military honors, will be in St. Joseph Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Mercy Hospital Foundation for the Mercy Hospice Care or Friends of the Animal Foundation Center.

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Bill was born Dec. 14, 1928, in Highland Park, Mich., the son of Earl and Novella Bradley Gilpin. In 1929, the family moved to Iowa City, where Bill graduated from City High School in 1946 and later received his associate degree from Iowa City Commercial College. He served in the U.S. Army in Korea from 1946 to 1947. On Feb. 5, 1951, Bill married Joan Hotle in Iowa City. Bill owned and operated the family business, Gilpin Paint and Glass, which was located at the corner of Market and Gilbert streets, until his retirement in 1988. The business was founded by his father, Earl, in 1940.

Bill was civic-minded. He was past chair of the Iowa City Riverfront Commission and past president of the Iowa City Jaycees. His memberships included St. Mary's Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, lifetime member of the American Legion, past member of St. Thomas More Church (where he served as chair of the parish council), past chair of the Mautz Paint Dealer Advisory Board, and founding member of the Bored Meeting.

Bill was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle. His humor, friendship and leadership will be greatly missed.

Bill is survived by his wife, Joan; their seven children, Patrick (Sandra) Gilpin and Victoria Gilpin, both of Iowa City, Rebecca (Bruce) Milne of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Bradley (Deborah) Gilpin of Iowa City, Jay (Staci) Gilpin of Duluth, Minn., Jean Gilpin (Todd Gillihan) of Iowa City and Elizabeth (Don) Bernard of Whitehall, Mont.; nine grandchildren, Alysha, Meghan, Katie, Abbey, Andrew (Sarah), Nathan, Kenna, Tessa and Koby; his sister, Dorothy Connell of Iowa City; brother-in-law, Thomas (Millie) G. Hotle; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Novella Gilpin; and sisters- and brothers-in-law, William Connell and Dr. Richard and Jean Hotle Liebendorfer.