FHHS Alumni Association
Alumni Years 1963 - 1988
Joe Gililland
| Class Year: | 1973 |
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| Residing In: | Alexandria, VA USA |
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| Spouse/Partner: | Marianne Gililland |
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| Occupation: | Retired - Former Navy Contractor - Project Manager at Alion Science |
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| Children: | Sandy, born 1987 and Dave, born 1991 |
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Joe's Latest Interactions
FACEBOOK POSTS REGARDING GENE'S PASSING:
Gene was a truly special friend. My heart is broken for you, Joe, for Russell, and for all who knew and loved him. 
May God give comfort to us all.
I met Gene a few years ago through Ft. Hunt musician circles. I enjoyed our conversations. I'm sorry to hear of his passing.
O.M.G. I'am in total shock. Gene my fellow 1974 classmate, a wonderful life long friend and amazing musician. We will never ever forget you. Condolences to your family, friends and fans.
Gene was a dear friend of mine since kindergarten! We got in trouble together even then! He had such a kind heart, a warm smile, and a great sense of humor! I will write more later. He was a great guy!
oh damn. What a wonderful guy.
Very sad news, indeed. Thank you, Joe for sharing this information about him.
Rest in paradise,Gene.
Same prayers for your family and also for you.
Oh I’m so sorry to hear this news.
So sad; Gene was my next door neighbor on Wakefield St.
God Bless you Geno! The world was a better place with you in it.
Sorry to hear - prayers to Russ and whole family.
Ugh. I’m so sorry. 
Peace be with Gene, his family, and friends. 
Great pictures, Joe!
Sorry for your loss and his passing. Great tribute. May he RIP while keeping the beat going.
Amazing tribute to a FHHS, musician and security worker.
Such a beautiful tribute Joe. So very sorry for the loss of your good friend. Sending comfort to his family and all who loved him 
RIP Federal. You mat be gone, but won't be forgotten. My condolences to family and friends.
Gene was a wonderful and kind soul. He will be missed.
Oh my gosh Joe- I am so sorry to hear this sad news. Gene was such a sweet guy. Sending my deepest condolences to Russ, Pam, and all his family and friends.
Beautiful memories of Gene will always be in our hearts
thoughts and prayers
Sad news.....the Strobels were neighbors a couple streets over in SOTP .....peace to Russ and family.
I am sorry, but hearing about so many of our lifelong friends is heartbreaking to me. Gene, you were always so kind and sincere to everyone you knew. You will be dearly missed by all that had the opportunity to know you. RIP my friend.
Wonderful tribute. So sorry for your loss.
Godspeed Gene. You always had a smile and never failed to say hello. Seeing you at the reunions over the years was a constant. This is a sad day
and I’m going to miss your quiet presence. 
Also sorry to hear. RIP Gene.
Very sad news, Joe - Gene was a very kind man - always a supportive word - very dedicated musician and drummer 
one the good guys - RIP
Awwww this hurts. What a sweet soul Gene was. My heart goes out to Russ and Pam.
This truly saddens my heart. Gene was such a warm dear man. RIP.
I am so sorry to hear…Gene was such a delightful spirit, gracious, kind, supportive, and so much more always great everyone with a smile. He lifted your spirit just being around him. He will be missed by family and friends. We were so blessed to be in his corner of the world
Sincere condolences to Russ and Pam.
Gentle condolences to his family, and to all who loved him.
A kind and gentle man - condolences to his family and friends.
RIP Gene. Sebago was a great band to be with you in down at JMU. Also cherish the many jams we were in together. You are a true gentleman and a fabulous drummer with rock solid meter. A good man.
Gene was just a great guy, prayers up for his family.
So sad to lose such a kind and warm soul.
I don’t remember him but he sounds like a lovely man. So many of our class were just great people! We were blessed! Prayers for his family!
Very sad news for the Strobel family and a great loss to the FH family. Sympathy and prayers
Oh no ! RIP Stephen Gosher told me he was ailing . RIP
My deepest condolences for the lost of one of us. He was a good man. Hugs to you Joe, Russell, Pam and all of yours.
Rest in peace Gene so sorry to hear of his passing
Sorry to hear this sad news. 
Strength and prayers to entire family.
I’m so glad I got to spend time with Gene last year in Florida. Always a great feeling to be around him. It carries on when I think of him. His family and friends are heartbroken but Gene is hugging us all. Rest gently, my dear friend. We will miss you to eternity.
RIP Gene. Sending my condolences to his family and friends.
Geno was one of my best buds. He hosted SO many of our Friday night outings. We had lots of excursions to music venues (Birchmere, State Theater, etc) to see great music. Shared many Nats opening day games. I could go on and on about all the good times. Just a great friend who will be sorely missed. I love ya, buddy. May you rest in peace.
Super write-up Joe, and great pictures. Gene was a character.
This is… such sad news. The world feels emptier without Gene, that sweet guy! My heart goes out to Russell and Pam….and all of us whose lives he touched. Thank you for posting this, Joe.
I’m a FH and JMU alum…he will be missed
Rest in peace old friend. I told another fellow drummer to say hi for me if he saw you at the picnic. I had hoped to see you again. Gene was most like the great jazz drummer Louie Bellson, widely known for being kind and generous to everyone he met. A rare skill. I couldn't believe it when he told me he switched from sales to the isolated work of database management, but he seemed happy.
Very sorry to hear this news. Living just up the street, I knew Russell and Gene from early 60s. We were kids and explored, played, hung out often. Unfortunately, have lost contact since school days, over the years nevertheless, am very sad to hear this news. Thoughts and prayers.
So sorry to hear
A wonderful guy. for his family and friends. 
Gene was a kind and gentle soul. We met as youngsters in elementary school. I know he was welcomed by the Angels . He will be sorely missed.
He was such a nice man. Rest in peace, my friend.
My thoughts are with Gene's loved ones, especially his brother Russell .
This is very sad. I’ve known Gene since elementary school. He was always very kind and caring. He will be missed. !
this is such sad news. Always liked him. such a genuinely nice guy.
This makes me so sad. RIP Gene. You'll be missed!! You were quite a guy. Always with a smile and kind words. They don't make them like you any more. Prayers and love to Russ, Pam, and all that knew and loved him!
This breaks my heart! Gene was such a kind soul and always had a smile. We were neighbors on Wakefield St. and some of my favorite memories were hanging out in the culvert in front of our houses with Susie White! Fly high, Gene!
May the angels welcome you with open arms, my friend. RIP
Such a kind soul. RIP Gene. There are no words. Prayers going up for all that loved him for all the difficult days ahead without him here on earth. Especially the firsts. 
Prayers for his family for comfort and strength as they lay him to rest.
RIP Gene and my condolences to all who knew and loved him
Condolences to the family, especially longtime classmate Russell.
Sorry to hear this, rest in peace Gene
Our backyards met. He was just a good soul. Rest in paradise.
Very sorry to hear this news. I didn't know about his impressive music career. RIP Gene.
Gene, may you rest in peace. Russell, so very sorry for your loss. With love and deepest sympathy, Kaye
So sad to see this post. Gene was such a kind soul. RIP!! You will be missed by many.
I’m so sorry. Nice guy.
Lifelong friends and shared experiences stay etched on our hearts. I’m so sorry to hear of Gene’s passing
Thank you for sharing your beautiful tribute,Joe…
Sincere condolences to his family as well.
Thank you Joe for such a beautiful remembrance of Gene. We were buddies from middle school through high school. He was such a sweet soul! RIP my friend
So sorry for Genes passing, i cant believe it. He was over to my house with Dick and Joe little over 2 months ago sitting in the middle of my couch giggling and listening to music. God bless you
LuvuGene
Good guy, he will be missed
Dave Pomeroy - Earwave Music ·
So sorry to hear this. What a great guy. So many memories. Love to Russ and all who knew him.
I’m so sorry to hear this very sad news.. My deepest condolences to his family .
Rest in peace my brother. I’ll always remember your smile.
Rest in peace, Gene. May your love for music continue to inspire us. Heartfelt condolences to Russ, Pam and to the entire Stobel family
Sympathies and hugs to friends and family. I recall seeing Gene and Russ at FHHS gatherings over the years - always together. Such a nice guy, I’m sad to hear this.
So tough to lose the gentlest of souls among us. RIP Gene.
So very sorry to hear this, he lived couple streets over from us - thank you for posting these photos - that smile I remember, never changed. Condolences to family and his many friends.
AHHH so sorry to see this Pam and Russ, and your families, prayers for you all.
Really sad to hear this Every time I saw Gene , he was so kind and friendly. He was my '74 class but I did not know him back then. The reunions made us friends though. My prayers go out to his family and all friends. Wonderful and special tribute Joe
Ed, thanks for signing-up and for adding your profile. I had you for Spanish in '73 and enjoyed the subject. You were a good teacher and a good man. Congratulations on such a long teaching career and being a 'family man'. The Wilkinson family is huge!
Kathy was a cheerleader at Fort Hunt and seemed to know everybody. She was very active at the school and was super smart and well-liked. Kathy moved back to Alexandria from NYC and attended Class of '72's 50th Reunion at the Old Dominion Boat Club in 2022. Although restricted to a wheelchair, Kathy had a great time and had not seemed to have lost any popularity. Although we were not close, I sat and spoke to her for 20 minutes as we had so many mutual friends. I'm so glad that I took the opportunity to spend time with her - of course, not knowing it would be our last conversation.
Kathy was a cheerleader at Fort Hunt and seemed to know everybody. She was very active at the school and was super smart and well-liked. Kathy moved back to Alexandria from NYC and attended Julie Hildebrand Rake's Memorial Service at Mount Vernon Country Club in 2022. Although restricted to a wheelchair, Kathy spoke to dozens of attendees and had not seemed to have lost any popularity. Although we were not close, I sat and spoke to her for 20 minutes as we had so many mutual friends. I'm so glad that I took the opportunity to spend time with her - of course, not knowing it would be our last conversation.
Posted on: Jun 26, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Fort Hunt High School Class of 1980
Posted by Tory King Lindgren
From Facebook 1/22/25
Happy Birthday to Jennifer Shenkenberg from the class of 1980. Jenny passed away about 14 years ago but I always remember her on this day. She was my best friend at FHHS 
— 
feeling nostalgic.
Posted on: Jan 22, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Linda - Thank you for updating your profile. Hoping Canada is enjoyable - don't forget us down here in Virginia and visit some time. Big reunion this year is September 26, 27 & 28. From Joe Gililland '73, FHHS Alumni President.
Rick Gray, FHHS '69 posted this on Facebook:
"Just saw a post from Bill's sister Linda that Bill Fotis passed away on 11/4. He was enjoying his real life as a performer. Has many YouTube videos as Bill F. Otis. Check them out.
RIP brother"
Class of 69
Re: Phil Parrish
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Wed, Aug 7, 2:34?PM |
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I am deeply saddened by the news of Phil’s passing. If you will indulge me for a moment while I reminisce: He was my boyfriend during our junior year, for nearly all year. He was good lookin’, tall, preppy, funny, nice to me and everyone else, fun to be with and just a good decent person. We went to Sadie Hawkins and the prom, Hot Shoppes, submarine races, and just drove around. For Christmas he gave me my favorite Beach Boys album. I’ll never forget the night a bunch of us went to the Pohick Church cemetery. Was it Danny Hoehne who climbed up into the church bell tower and rang the bell? I was already scared just being in the cemetery, but when I heard the bell I wet my pants and ran. Of course I never told Phil or anyone else, ever. I’m so happy to see that he led a good and purposeful life with the woman and family he loved. I’ve always had sweet memories and a soft spot in my heart for Phil. Kathy, I’m so sorry for your loss. Karen Barton Best
Sent from my iPhone
On Jul 31, 2024, at 1:34?PM, Doug Clark <dougfhhs@gmail.com> wrote:
?Greetings Class of 1968 Federals:
Our classmate, Phil Parrish, passed away from cancer on July 24. He lived in Goldvein, VA which is not far from Fredericksburg. At FHHS, Phil was a basketball player and was on the varsity squad. He graduated from the University of Richmond and later pursued a career as a Virginia Game Warden. His interests included Civil War History, and he was also well known for his extensive collection of well-aged bourbons. Phil is survived by his wife Kathy, two children and seven grandchildren. Please feel free to share your memories of Phil with the group.
Doug Clark
Posted on: Aug 12, 2024 at 12:37 PM
Click on the link towards the bottom of the obituary "Watch Phil Wiggins Performance" for an amazing opening performance by Phil and his band, as well as an interesting on-stage interview.
I remember Phil from the hallways of FHHS and in Stratford on the Potomac where his family lived. As a super-talented musician, Phil became known as "A National Treasure" for his mastery of the Blues harmonica and Blues music.
POSTED BY BRIAN HOPKINS - FRIEND OF JIM
It is with a very heavy heart that I pass along '77 class member and my very good friend and friend to many of you, H. James Reosti, was called home by the Lord on March 3, 2024.
His daughter Nicole posted arrangements on FB at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/PpCVYqmEvMyrSdEL/?mibextid=oFDknk. Until I see you again Jim, much love to you buddy.
Joe's Photo Gallery
