MAURICE "MOSE" GLENN GILLILAND

HOLTON- Maurice "Mose" Glenn Gilliland, 87, of Holton, passed away at home on Thursday, March 12, 2009 with his family at his side.
He was born November 17, 1921 at the family dairy farm on the east edge of Denison, the fifth of six children of Roy Albert Gilliland, Sr. and Gertrude Lanning Gilliland. He graduated from Denison High School in 1939.
Mose was a combat veteran of WWII and elected to serve in the 89th Division of the US Army in the European theater rather than to take the commission to West Point which he was offered. Serving as Seargent, he participated in major battles and was selected for a special task force to liberate Nazi death camps under the command of General Patton.
On December 8, 1946 he married Marjorie Lou Cowley at the Methodist Church in Nortonville, KS. She survives. They spent most of their lives on the family farm northeast of Holton. To this union, two children were born: Gayla Schmanke (Robert) of Holton, KS and Raney Gilliland (Jill) of Topeka, KS. Also surviving are three grandsons: Brian Schmanke (Terrilyn) of Overland Park, KS; Darin Schmanke (Gretchen) of Olathe, KS; and Asher Gilliland of Topeka, KS. In addition, he is survived by four great-grandchildren: Sydney and Ethan Schmanke of Overland Park, KS and Maya and Nolan Schmanke of Olathe, KS. He is also survived by three sisters-in-law: Stella Gilliland of Holton, Marjorie Gilliland of Muscotah and Phyllis Scarlett of Valley Center. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Olive Scarlett and Leola Blumberg; three brothers, Roy Gilliland, Jr., Carleton Gilliland and Loren Gilliland.
Mose was a farmer and stockman, but also was employed with the Soil Conservation Service for 28 years. He was recognized as a good steward of the land by receiving the Kansas Bankers Award for conservation in 1954. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church and a life member of the Holton VFW Post 1367. He was an avid sportsman having played as a pitcher for the minor league teams of the St. Louis Cardinals and supporting Kansas State University athletics. In later years, he took up playing the upright bass and provided many hours of entertainment to groups in the surrounding areas.
Services will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Holton at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 16, 2009. Interment will be in the Denison Cemetery immediately following the services. The family will greet friends from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Holton Community Hospital Home Health and Hospice or to the Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research at Kansas State University c/o Mercer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS 66436.