Vance was born on September 3, 1947 to Bryce and Jeannette (Deschamps) Gillies.
He lived most of his life in and around the Sturgis area. He was a member of the South Dakota National Guard, a Meade County Deputy Sheriff, and a Sturgis Jaycee in his younger years. He was also a proud member of the Western South Dakota Buckaroos in his later life.
Vance was well known for his story telling and for providing his unvarnished opinions, even with complete strangers.
Vance Eloi Gillies, 71, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday, November 15, 2018 at Sturgis Regional Healthcare.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Kathy; two sons, Kelly, Sturgis, and Jason (Carrie), Colorado Springs; two adorable grandsons, Brady and Jedrek; his mother, Jeannette Jackson, Sturgis; one brother, Boyce (Cindy), Whitewood; two sisters, Regina (Jim) Bowman, Sundance, and Penny Nyberg, Chadron, NE; mother-in-law, Dorothy Sedlacek, Scotland; sister-in-law, Sandy (Roger) Sykora, Tyndall; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, November 19, 2018, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Sturgis. Inurnment will be at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to the Western South Dakota Buckaroos Scholarship Fund.

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