Duane C. Gillespie, 71, of North Vernon, passed away Thursday, May 10, 2018 at Our Hospice of South Central IN Inpatient Facility.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 17th at First Baptist Church-North Vernon.  Rev. Drew Dukes will officiate.  Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service.  Arrangements have been entrusted to Sawyer-Pickett Funeral & Cremation Service.

Born November 2, 1946, in Ft. Dodge, IA, Duane was the son of the late Forrest and Margaret (Schoeberline) Gillespie.  He married Sandra Lane Stearns on January 26, 1968, in Lander, WY.  She survives.

Duane had worked road construction in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana before moving to North Vernon.  He retired from Bob Poynter after 35 years of employment in the body shop.  He was a member of First Baptist Church-North Vernon and was always an avid outdoorsman.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra Gillespie of North Vernon; daughter, Sonya (David) Kopitzke of North Vernon; son, Chris (Amanda) Gillespie of North Vernon; brother, Donald Gillespie of Van Meter, IA; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.