Clarence (Bud) Gilles, III, 67, of Athens, died Wednesday morning, July 6, 2016, surrounded by his loving family at U.T. Medical Center in Knoxville.
He was a native of Cleveland, Ohio and was a son of the late Clarence and Rosemary Wagner Gilles. He was also preceded in death by a brother James Gilles and a brother-in-law David Hurn.
He was a member of Zion Hill Baptist Church. He was a member of the Carpenters Union Local #74 and for the last five years he served as Job Steward at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant. He was a well known furniture refinisher and cabinet maker. He loved camping and boating. He served for four years in the U.S. Navy Seals during the Vietnam War where he received a Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars, and a Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Clarence is survived by his wife, Nancy Powell Gilles of Athens, to whom he was married to for 26 years; five daughters and four sons-in-law, Melissa and Paul McMahan of Farragut, Susanne and Danny Estep of Peyton, CO, Courtney and Joel Raper of Madisonville, Jessica and Chad Derrick of Riceville, Kelli Johnston of Athens; one son, Clarence Nicholas Gilles, IV of Chattanooga; five granddaughters, Kristen Holbrook, Hannah Pemberton, Rachel McMahan, Isabelle Jaramillo, and Aly Rose Raper; four grandsons, Samuel, Nathan and Joshua Raper and Zakary Derrick; two sisters and one brother-in-law; Carol Hurn of Decatur and Rosemary and Paul Becker of Grafton, Ohio; four sisters-in-law, Donna Gilles of Cleveland, Ohio, Mary Ann Lequire, Phyllis (Charlie) Goodwin of Greenback, and Dora (James) Yoder of Karnes, TN; and several nieces and nephews.
A funeral service will be conducted 8:00 pm, Saturday, July 9, 2016 in the chapel of Smith Funeral Home with Rev. Carl Creasman and Rev. Justin Brown officiating. The committal service will be 10:00 am, Sunday in McMinn Memory Gardens with military honors provided by the U.S. Navy. The family will receive friends from 5-8 pm Saturday at the funeral home prior to the service.

Pallbearers will be Nick Gilles, Chad Derrick, Paul McMahan, Michael Hurn, Joel Raper, Danny Estep, and Paul Becker.

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