Robert Gillom's Obituary
Robert “DeDe” Gillom, 56, of Chattanooga, passed away Wednesday, January 18, 2023, at his residence. Born DeSica Shuntae Robinson, “Dede” as he was known by family and friends was the first-born child to parents Alice Robinson and Robert Gillom, Jr. He was the first-born grandson & nephew. He was the oldest of seven - sisters Guana, Tosha, Nana, Kim and brothers Dajuion and Tony (RIH). Growing up most of his life in the Eastdale community on Through St, Dede shared a close bond with his aunts and uncles; after all his parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles lived next door to each other all his life, so Dede was always surrounded by loving family. He had special relationships with all his siblings and other family members but was closet to his sister Tosha. They would spend hours together laughing, talking, and reminiscing about their days growing up. He loved his childhood, making tents in the house on cold rainy days, making gigantor robots out of common household items, solving math problems for his siblings and cousins, singing “Easy” by the Commodores during the sibling singing contest, being mischievous burning ants in the tree on Through St, teaching his younger siblings card and board games, only to make sure he controlled the bank during a game of monopoly. Growing up all over the greater Chattanooga area, DeDe had friends in every neighborhood in the city. When he wasn’t in school doing everyone’s homework, hanging out with one of his best friends causing some type of mischief, you could find him teasing the girls. He would often joke about how he signed up for a typing class at Eastside Junior High School because the class was full of girls. Unbeknownst to him, he would later be the first and only male to receive the “Best Typist” award. Dede was one of the smartest people you would ever meet! “Robert was very intelligent and smart in school, always had a pencil behind his ear and made schoolwork look so easy. He was playful and outgoing. He could do any kind of work”, was an all too familiar phrase quoted by his childhood best friends and classmates, Tyrone Byrd and Tiffany Byrd Winston. Dede could do any kind of work and it was evident throughout his lifetime. In 1985 he joined the United States Navy, but a physical disability ended his naval career shortly after enlistment. He returned home to Chattanooga and held various job and positions for many different companies, restaurants, and agencies throughout the greater Chattanooga and north Georgia areas from Dupont to Amazon and every company in between. He had worked at so many places in Chattanooga and north Georgia, his family use to joke about how he had run out of places to work. He enjoyed working. Dede was a jack of all trades and had the intellectual ability to excel at whatever he set out to do. He loved and continued to work until his health declined and he could no longer work. DeDe was best known for his intelligence, quick-witted humor, beautiful smile, generous and playful spirit. He loved watching and playing sports. He was a Dallas Cowboy’s fan and a Boston Celtic’s fan since birth. As a teenager, he loved going to the Eastdale Recreation Center on Saturday mornings to compete against the city’s high school legends. When he wasn’t enjoying a pick-up game of basketball, he enjoyed listening to music, playing board and video games with family and friends, and watching and quoting lines from his favorite movies Life and Django with his best friend Curtis “Geter” Donahue. In 2018 DeDe suffered a massive heart attack. After spending about a month in intensive care, he made a remarkable recovery, all things considered. Over the next 4 years until his passing, his hospital visits became longer and more regular. DeDe touched the lives of so many people. His intellectual ability, charm, wit, beautiful smile, and kind heart always left a great impression with the people he met. He never met a stranger that didn't quickly become a friend. He loved his friends and was happy he was able to maintain genuine friendships with all the special women in his life. He was very thankful and appreciative to everyone that visited him while he was hospitalized, seeing them meant the world to him. DeDe’s unwavering faith in his Heavenly Father grew stronger and DeDe was at peace before his death. Dede accepted Christ calling. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, John and Pauline Robinson and Robert and Rosa Gillom, Sr.; stepfather, Frank Thomas; brother, Tony Gillom; uncles, Jonathan Robinson, Paul Careathers, and Walter Gillom. Survivors include his father, Robert Gillom, Jr.; mother, Alice “Niecy” Thomas; siblings, Guana, Tosha, Dajuion, Nana and Kim; uncles, John Eddie Robinson, Ammiel (Jennifer) Robinson, Rodderick Lomenick, and Edward Gillom; aunts, Marissa “Teenie” Smith, Johnequia (Benny) Stormer, Betty Hawkins, Lena Ramsey, and Thelma Gillom; nephews and nieces, Tony “T-Man” Hudson, Talisha “Poonie” Hudson, Jabrie Leverett, and Aniya Key; great-nieces and nephews, Tavias Williams, Taija Hudson, Ronnisha “NeNe” Bynum, Tyanna Hudson, Jha’Leah “NuNu” Ferrell, Jaiden “J-Boogie” Ferrell, Keyona “Yonni” Phillips, Teyonna “Te-Te” Hudson, and Toni “Da Baby” Hudson; best friend, “Curtis “Geter” Donahue; son-in-love, Melik Woods-Grissom; childhood sweetheart and best friend, Debora “Boray” Fletcher; dear friend, Youlanda “Red” Anderson; friends of the heart, Debbra Diane Quarles and Alice Craig-Hughes; a host of other relatives and friends. Pastor Jeffrey Wilson will serve as the eulogist.
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