Frank Slaton Gilmore was born on July 7, 1935 in Blytheville, Arkansas to Clarington Buren Gilmore and Cleo LaMyra Tucker Gilmore. At a young age his family moved to Rainer, Oregon where he lived until moving back to Arkansas in 1948.
Back in his home state he attended Poughkeepsie High School where he played point guard for the Panthers basketball team and graduated in 1955. He often said the seven years he spent living there and playing basketball were the best of his life.
While living in Myrtle, Missouri he met Bonnie Wheeler and they were married on November 2, 1957. By 1964 the two were living in Kansas City where he started working for the National Beef Packing Company. This would become the job he enjoyed most. He began at the bottom, cleaning floors, and quickly worked his way up to becoming a supervisor. In 1974 he was transferred to the company’s new plant in Liberal, Kansas, where he and his family lived until moving back to Missouri to farm in 1974.
He and Bonnie bought her family farm and raised beef and pork, and even operated their own dairy for a few years. They loved working together to make improvements on the farm and spent twenty-seven years of farm life together, until her passing in 2001. After that he sold the farm and moved to Springfield, Missouri to be near his daughter. Since then, he has enjoyed spoiling his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and following his favorite sports teams: the Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Chiefs, and the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team. He was thrilled to have lived to see Boston break their curse and win the 2004 World Series and the Chiefs win the 2020 Super Bowl. (He was a little less enthused about the Chiefs 2021 Super Bowl performance!)
Frank loved the Lord and attended the Centerpoint Church of God of Prophecy in Myrtle, where he was baptized. Once he moved to Springfield, he attended Crimson House Ministries and helped with making coffee before the Sunday Morning services.
He passed away peacefully on February 15, 2021 at the age of eighty-five.
Frank is survived by his children, Diane and John Pace of Springfield, Missouri, and Greg Gilmore of Delmar, Maryland; eleven grandchildren, Jeremy Gilmore, Evin Hanlon, Lauren Willey, Shauna Crider, Leah Gilmore, Hannah Binkley, Molli Pace, Levi Gilmore, Sofie Pace, Jes Pace, and Lily Pace; nine great-grandchildren, Lucas, Liam and Charlie Gilmore, Brogen Hall, Stella, John and Teddy Hanlon, and Bonnie and Silas Binkley; one brother, Merle and Esther Gilmore; three sisters, Georgia Gilmore, Rose Ann Dorris, and Lewis and Wayne Christenberry; special niece Beth and Charles Fleming; other relatives; and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Jimmie Huckabee, Alliene Dixon, and Gloria Gilmore, one brother, Robert Gilmore, and special cousin, Charles Croney.
Frank will truly be missed by his family and friends.
Graveside services for Frank S. Gilmore were held on Monday, February 22, 2021 at 11:30 a.m. at Cotton Creek Cemetery in Myrtle, Missouri with John Pace officiating.
Burial was on Monday, February 22, 2021 in Cotton Creek Cemetery in Myrtle, Missouri, with services under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc. in Thayer, Missouri.