Allan Gillis

Allan Malcolm Gillis (March 25, 1961 – April 21, 2024)

It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our brother, Allan Gillis on April 21, 2024.

Allan grew up on New Glasgow’s West Side and remained a life-long resident of Pictou County. He was the 7 th of 8 children born to Dan and Adele Gillis at the busiest home on Abercrombie Rd. 

Allan was an avid sports fan. In junior high and high school, he played and taught tennis at the West Side Community Center. He was especially fond of playing youth hockey and of following his beloved Boston Bruins through every season. It was over the past decade, that he followed the evolution of women’s hockey becoming the PWHL’s #1 fan, and along with the rest of the family cheered Canada’s Women’s hockey team through the 2018 and 2022 Olympics, remaining ever so proud.

While in high school, over summer breaks and on weekends, Allan would frequently tag along with Dad going in to work at the Hawker Sidley Plant in Trenton. It was this early exposure to the workings of the plant that piqued an interest in engineering and mechanics and what turned out to be an experience that would ultimately shape his chosen career path. 

After graduating from New Glasgow High School, Allan attended Nova Scotia Community College in Halifax. Following his graduation, he continued his education completing additional courses at Dalhousie University and then became a construction industry professional, holding the elite designation of Professional Quantity Surveyor. Allan was employed by Lindsay Construction and Higgins Construction before developing his own business. He was recognized by his professional organization for his contributions to the design and construction of Glasgow Square. 

Allan loved his road trips to visit his North Carolina family, often timing his trips to where he could get an early taste of spring or if traveling in the fall, to delay the onset of our Nova Scotia winters. For years he would make this drive sometimes twice a year, leaving us amazed at just how much he loved THE drive and how he loved TO drive. That drive never got old for him. Allan always arrived with a story to tell about the trip, these stories frequently involved deer getting in the way of his vehicles. Legend has it that Allan, who never held a hunting license, a hunting rifle or had ever been hunting, had killed more deer with his vehicles over the years than most hunters ever will in a lifetime!

"Unkie Al" as he was affectionately known, dearly loved each of his 13 nieces and nephews and his 11 great nieces and nephews. So often "Unkie Al" spoke of the joy of being at family gatherings, but he especially looked forward to our annual December 23 gathering on Jubilee Road, Halifax. We will miss his wit and humor, and the insatiable appetite for the riddles and dad jokes our brother brought to these gatherings.  

In addition to his nieces and nephews, Allan will be fondly remembered by his sisters, Kathleen (Les) Privette, Raleigh, North Carolina; Joanie (Cliff) McCarville, Halifax, NS; Colleen (Bruce) Gallagher, Stillwater Lake, NS; and his brother, Dennis, Toronto, ON.      

Allan was predeceased by our beloved parents, our brothers, Danny and Bill, our sister, Margie and infant niece, Kylie Gallagher. 

Our family is grateful for the expert care Allan received during his extended hospitalization at the VG in Halifax last summer. We are also forever grateful to Edwin Goble, who we consider a brother.  Every family should be so lucky as ours to have a "doctor in the house", a job with unpredictable hours and one that doesn’t pay well.  Thank-you Dr. Cliff McCarville for being available for Allan and the rest of us through this difficult time. 

Allan, we love you, we thank you for your kindness and generosity, we will miss you. Rest peacefully dear brother.

Arrangements are under the direction of R.H. Porter Funeral Home, New Glasgow. Cremation has taken place. A private graveside service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Allan’s memory may be made to the Aberdeen Health Foundation or to a charity of choice.