Robert Thomas “Tom” Gilliland, 76, of Monmouth, IL, passed away on July 6, 2025 at the Clarissa Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf, IA, surrounded by love, leaving behind a legacy steeped in melody, memory, and quiet devotion.
Tom’s greatest passion in life was music. From the very beginning, he lived and breathed it—his heart beating in rhythm with the Beatles during the height of Beatlemania, the sounds of the Fab Four woven into the fabric of his youth. Later, his soul found deep connection in the harmonies and lyrical poetry of the Eagles. Songs like Peaceful Easy Feeling and Tequila Sunrise weren’t just tunes to Tom; they were companions, guiding him through the chapters of life and echoing through countless hours in his beloved practice room where guitars hung like art and amplifiers hummed with possibility.
A natural musician and leader, Tom was the proud frontman of two bands: The Wipe Outs and Reunion. His arrangements brought cohesion and polish to every performance. The music playing in the background today was a Reunion performance, recorded in 1983, one of many testaments to Tom’s creative soul and collaborative spirit.
Beyond his music, Tom’s hands shaped more than chords. He was a gifted craftsman, creating beauty and function in every project. From finishing basements with care and precision, to designing Halloween costumes for his kids, to building a miniature dollhouse that incorporated details from the family home for his daughter Brooke, Tom’s creativity knew no bounds. His work was thoughtful, detailed, and above all, done with love.
Tom was also a lifelong educator, sharing his love of language and learning with generations of students. He taught English and literature to junior high and high school students with passion, humor, and depth. His classroom was a space where stories came to life and where his students discovered not just the mechanics of writing, but the beauty of self-expression. He inspired young minds to think critically.
A coach, cheerleader from every sideline, and a constant presence, Tom poured his heart into his family. He coached baseball, attended football and basketball games, dance performances and music recitals. He expressed his love not always in words, but in acts of quiet dedication: a carefully chosen gift, quiet wisdom, a late-night project finished in time for a big moment.
Tom loved deeply, steadfastly, and without condition. He showed his love in a thousand ways—each one a note in the lifelong song he wrote for those he cherished.
Tom will be deeply missed, yet he leaves us with a soundtrack of memories: summer porch jam sessions, the warmth of shared stories, the legacy of love in the lives he touched.
As we gather today, his music plays on—not just from the speakers, but in our hearts.
Tom is survived by his devoted wife, Judy Gilliland; his children, Jason (Heidi) Gilliland, Brooke (Courtney) Blythe, and Grant (Renee) Gilliland; and his grandchildren, Aaron (Aspen) Gilliland, Samantha Gilliland, Presley, Knox, and Smith Blythe, Nora and Lucy Gilliland; and great-grandson, Arlo Gilliland. He is also lovingly remembered by his stepchildren, Jennie (Zemirah) (Andrew Dose) Jazwierska and Jill (Steve Gerbhardt) Henson; and step-grandchildren, Maiya and Maddie Jazwierska, and Cydney and Ian Henson.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Freda Gilliland; his first wife, Nancy Gilliland; and granddaughter, Ruby Mae Gilliland.
Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, July 11, 2025 at McGuire & Davies Funeral Home and Crematory, Monmouth, IL. Visitation will be prior to the service from 9:30-11:00 a.m. at the funeral home. A private family interment will be in Alexis Cemetery, Alexis, IL. Memorials can be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or the American Diabetes Association and can be sent to the funeral home. McGuire & Davies Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of the arrangements. For more information or to leave an online condolence visit, www.mcguireanddaviesfuneralhome.com
