[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 750]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE LIFE OF MARVIN L. GILLUM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 26, 2010

  Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise to share with our colleagues the 
recent passing of Marvin L. Gillum. He died on January 21, 2010, at the 
age of 85.
  Marvin had a long history of service to the city of Manassas, 
Virginia, and the greater Prince William County community. He served as 
mayor of Manassas for eight years from 1996 to 2004, and was also a 
former chairman of the Manassas School Board.
  I submit for the Record an obituary for Marvin that ran in the 
Manassas News & Messenger on January 22:


                            Marvin L. Gillum

       Marvin L. Gillum, age 85, died peacefully at his home 
     Thursday, January 21, 2010. He was born on February 2, 1924 
     in his town, Manassas. He graduated from Osbourn High School 
     in 1940 and continued his education at the Virginia Military 
     Institute (VMI) where he earned a B.S. in chemistry and pre-
     med. He then received his D.D.S. from the Medical College of 
     Virginia School of Dentistry. He worked as a dentist for 
     forty years. His father, Dr. V.V. Gillum, established the 
     family business in 1914 in Manassas where he served a number 
     of patients who arrived by train from all over the area. 
     Marvin served his country as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force 
     Dental Corps during the Korean War. After retiring from 
     dentistry in 1987, Dr. Gillum chose a second career in 
     investment brokerage. He served Scott & Stringfellow as an 
     Executive Vice President, a Senior Vice President, and sat on 
     the Board of Directors.
       In 1947, he and his bride Mardi came to Manassas where they 
     raised three daughters, Cindy, Debby and Melanie, who have 
     given their parents six grandchildren and two grandchildren 
     through marriage. Marvin and Mardi were blessed with 62 
     wonderful years of marriage. Apart from his devotion to his 
     wife and family, Dr. Gillum's personal interests included 
     tennis, bridge, piano and organ, reading, baseball, the 
     Washington Redskins, and his alma mater VMI. His community 
     activities read like a full chapter in ``Who's Who in 
     America,'' and include Mayor of Manassas for eight years 
     (1996-2004); 15 years on the Manassas School Board with ten 
     as chairman; former chairman of Prince William Health System 
     Foundation; first chairman of the Manassas Historical 
     Commission; a trustee of the Manassas Baptist Church and 
     former deacon (where he had been a member since age five); 
     former director of the City of Manassas Education Foundation; 
     former board member of Historic Manassas, Inc; former 
     commissioner of the Manassas Baseball League; former director 
     of the Prince William Chapter of the American Red Cross; 
     advisory board of the Prince William Campus of George Mason 
     University; honorary chairman of the March of Dimes; former 
     director of SERVE, Inc.; past president of the Manassas 
     Rotary Club; Outstanding Alumni Graduate Award -Osbourn High 
     School Alumni Association; Vice Chairman and Board of 
     Directors for Manassas Dance Company; former member of 
     Manassas Kiwanis Club; and the Grand Marshal of the Greater 
     Manassas Christmas Parade in 1994. He has also been an avid 
     supporter of the local fine arts, backing such attractions as 
     the new home for the Center for the Arts and the Loy E. 
     Harris Pavilion. During his tenure as mayor, the city 
     experienced a renaissance which included receiving the 2003 
     Great America Main Street Award and designation as one of 
     ``Washingtonian'' magazine's top places to live in the 
     Washington area. He truly loved his city and his lifelong 
     endeavor was to enhance the quality of community life for all 
     who lived here.
       He was preceded in death by his parents Dr. V.V. and Lois 
     Layman Gillum and his sister, Jocelyn Gillum Scott.
       Survivors include his wife, Martha Droste Gillum; his three 
     daughters, Cindy Gillum Coiner and husband Bill of 
     Midlothian, Va., Debby Gillum Milligan and husband Dick of 
     Manassas and Melanie Gillum Przybocki and husband Dave of 
     Manassas. Grandchildren include: Caroline Milligan of 
     Winchester, Va., Meredith Milligan of Manassas, Cara Clayton 
     of Sarasota, Fla., Cory Clayton and wife Signe of Denmark, 
     Rob Dufour of Newport News, Va., Mollie Przybocki of 
     Manassas, Wil and Jenny Coiner of Midlothian and one brother-
     in-law, David Scott of Decatur, Ga.
       The family will receive friends from 1 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. 
     Friday, January 29, 2010 at Pierce Funeral Home, 9609 Center 
     Street, Manassas. A Celebration of Life will be held at Grace 
     E. Metz School, 9950 Wellington Road, Manassas at 1 p.m. 
     Saturday, January 30, 2010. A private family interment will 
     take place after the service at Stonewall Memory Gardens, 
     Manassas.
       Contributions may be made in his memory to his beloved 
     Manassas Baptist Church, 8800 Sudley Road, Manassas, VA 20110 
     (Marvin always wanted a chime tower for all to hear) or to 
     the George Mason University, Hylton Performing Arts Center, 
     10900 University Blvd. MS5D2, Manassas, VA 20110 (for all to 
     enjoy) in loving memory of Marvin L. Gillum. Condolences may 
     be sent to www.piercefh.com.

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