Lyle Gillispie

Lyle Dean Gillispie, 87, of Colby, died Tuesday, July 4, 2017. He was born April 10, 1930, in Levant, KS, to Roy and Marie (Myer) Gillispie. He attended Levant public schools, where as a second grader he met first grader, Darlene, who became the love of his life. He was active in basketball and baseball throughout his school years. Lyle moved to California during the Gold Rush of ’49, but always said, “I was just 100 years late.” He worked at a filling station in the Hollywood Hills before returning to KS to marry Margaret Darlene Touslee, on June 5th 1949. He started Hiett Motor’s Auto Body Repair Shop and then with business partner, Lyle Harner, founded Lyle’s Body Shop, which is still in operation today, 69 years later, under owner Shawn Fromholtz. Lyle also owned and operated the Colby Glass Shop with business partner, Alvin Koenig. He began his automotive sales career with Jack Fitzsimmons Motors, the Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge Dealership. Lyle almost left the automotive industry, when he became a District Sales Manager for KXXX Radio, but worked part time for Tubbs and Son’s Ford. In 1972 Lyle and Darlene opened Gillispie Motors, selling the latest used vehicles and then became the Chrysler Plymouth and Dodge Dealers in Colby. Gillispie Motors was sold in 1990. He then began buying and rehabilitating small rental houses, teaching himself carpentry, electrical repair, plumbing and whatever else the houses needed repaired. However, he was never able to stay away from wheels, gears and grease long. He began working with the Colby Fire Department to rebuild bicycles for the Christmas Bicycle giveaway. Lyle was still busy rehabbing bikes up until his final hospitalization and death. After Darlene’s death in 2009, Lyle married Leta Nietzel.

He was preceded in death by his wife Darlene; parents and son-in-law Larry Hiebert.

He is survived by his wife, Leta; daughters, Sheryl Hiebert, Marsha (Jack) Crook and Jodie (Shawn) Ackerman; sons, Randall Gillispie and Richard (Zita) Gillispie; siblings Velma Barrick, Everett “Bud” (Lela) Gillispie and Eldon “Buck” (Joye) Gillispie; grandchildren Jeff (Natalie) Crook, Jeret (Laura) Crook, Sarah (Brandon) Smith, AJ (Rebecca) Koehler, Mandie Ackerman, Jacob Gillispie and Margaret Gillispie; great grandchildren, Jayden Crook, Jenna Crook, Ethan Smith, Caroline Crook, Sebastian Koehler, Henry Crook, Karson Smith and many other cousins, nieces and nephews.

Visitation is 5-7:00 p.m. Sunday, July 9, 2017, at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby. Funeral Service is 11:00 a.m. Monday, July 10, 2017, at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby, with burial to follow in Beulah Cemetery, Colby. Memorials are suggested to the Colby Fire Dept. Bicycle Fund, in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For condolences or information visit www.baalmannmortuary.com