By MATT PATNEAUDE

Gene Gillis, a longtime business owner and resident in the Wedgwood and Lake City neighborhoods, passed away on June 17. He was 79 years old.

In 1960, Gene and his wife, Donna, opened Gillis Clock and Watch in a corner of the Wedgwood Pharmacy. Initially, Donna ran the shop while Gene spent his days working in the insulation industry. At night, Gene would work on the clock, watch, and jewelry repairs that came in during the day.

After several years, Gene was able to quit the insulation work and focus exclusively on the family business. As Gillis Clock and Watch grew, they moved into their own shop, first in Wedgwood and later to its current location in Lake City, 12325 Lake City Way NE.

The couple met in Washington, D.C., and were married on New Years Day of 1949. In their first years of marriage, Donna would witness Gene take apart a broken clock and have it working in a matter of minutes. She finally said to him, "Why aren't you doing this for a living?"

In 1952, Gene started attending Elgin Watch College in Elgin, Illinois. While there, Gene was elected president of the student body. The Gillis' moved to Seattle in 1956, and several years later, Gene was repairing clocks and watches for a living.

Donna says that interacting with their customers was something that Gene especially enjoyed. He believed that providing good service would equal good customers.

When Gillis Clock and Watch ran an opening special of a watch overhaul for $5 in 1960, they ended up with three boxes full of watches. "We built customer relationships real quick," says Donna.

Finding people to help around the shop wasn't difficult for Gene and Donna, as each of their seven children contributed throughout the years. "The kids became very efficient at helping. Gene required that they be helpful," Donna says.

Gene was active in other organizations outside of the business. He ran the Emerald City Dance Club for many years where he and Donna enjoyed ballroom dancing. The Wedgwood Lions Club, the Lake City Elks, and the Masons were other groups with which Gene was a member.

Gatherings at the Gillis home and organizing family reunions are other things that Gene enjoyed. Gene's son, Don, says that his father did a great job of introducing one level of their family to the next. "Family was a big issue, without a doubt," says Don.

For a brief time in 1983, Gene retired from the business and did watch repairs at home. Donna says that Gene didn't like being retired because he missed the interaction with customers. After about a year, Gene returned to working at the shop.

In 1991, Gene retired from the watchmaking business for good. Don Gillis, who had spent countless hours working in the shop while growing up, took over his father's portion of the business. The Lake City based company is now known as Gillis Clock and Watch Restoration.

In 1997, Gillis Clock and Watch Restoration went online with www.gilliswatches.com. According to Don, Gene was very pleased to see a new aspect of the business being started.

A new generation of Gillis' are now becoming interested in the clock and watch repair business. Don's youngest son, 13-year-old Steven, has been in the shop getting hands on repair experience. "It's interesting to see one of them have a spark," says Don.

In the final years of his life, Gene spent much of his time writing. These writings turned into a book which was given to each of his children's families. Gene's book tells stories of being an Army scout in Europe during World War II, growing up in Minnesota, and the importance of God in his life.

Don Gillis says that while his father still looked fine and healthy in recent years, he was struggling with diabetes related circulation problems. About three years ago, Gene opted not to have surgery on a vein in his neck because the operation itself was a risk.

Donna says that Gene loved to sing, especially to his children and 17 grandchildren. In the last years of his life, Gene's singing was recorded on tapes and a CD. This CD was played at his memorial service.

A verse of a song played at Gene's memorial addressed his passing: "If my parting has left a void, then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss; Ah yes, these things I too shall miss."