Horace Thomas Gilliam Jr

Horace Thomas Gilliam, Jr.

June 22, 1931 – March 18, 2026

Horace Thomas Gilliam, Jr., was brought into this world on a Monday in Birmingham, AL and passed peacefully in his home surrounded by his children on Wednesday evening.

Best known as “Pawpaw”, Horace was a man of great dedication to not only his family but to his country. After graduating from Woodlawn High school, he joined the United States Navy when he was just 20 years of age and proudly served in the Korean War as a radioman on his ship. He reached the rank of Radioman Class 3 before being Honorably Discharged in 1954 from the military. However, he carried his skills with him as he went on to work for companies, such as RCA, and even started his own company – Mobile Radio Service – where he worked with different departments like Homewood PD to help them be able to communicate effectively within their department through two-way radios.

Throughout this time, Horace met and married his sweetheart, Sylvia, whom he spent 54 years with until she took her last breath in 2005. Together they had four children that they shared many hobbies with, such as camping, boating and water skiing, building furniture, and so much more. Even with all the chaos that life with four children brought, Horace still made time to help the community when he could. While already a member of the Navy MARS organization with some buddies, he used ham radios to help people communicate with their family members during the Vietnam War that were overseas fighting for our country, especially around the holidays.

Much more can be written to encapsulate all that is and was Horace Gilliam, but pieces of him can be found in all those that he is leaving behind to remember him: his children, Scott Gilliam (Cathy); Tracy McCullough (John); Leigh Smith (Gary); Tom Gilliam; 11 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, and 1 great, great grandchild. He is preceded in death by his wife, Sylvia Gilliam; his parents, Olean and Horace Gilliam Sr.; and his two siblings, Raymond Gilliam and Barbara Powell, who were all waiting with open arms for their great reunion!

Visitation and Funeral services will be held on March 25, 2026, at

Jefferson Memorial Gardens Chapel - 1591 Gadsden Hwy, Birmingham, AL 35235.

Visitation will be from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

The service will begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by the burial service.