July 31, 1932 - August 3, 2017

Bob Gilliam, affectionately known as ''The Bear'', July 31, 1932 August 3, 2017, died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 85 at his home in Parkway Village, Little Rock, AR.

Bob was born and raised in Fort Worth, TX. His passion for learning and golf brought him to Harding University where he completed his B.A. in Bible and Psychology and a master's degree in teaching. While a student at Harding, he met the love of his life, Dorothy Callahan from Huntsville, AL, and they were married on April 1, 1954. He served as a minister for Churches of Christ in Arkansas, Ohio, and Puerto Rico. Bob earned his doctor in education and returned to Harding University as professor and chair of the Psychology Department from 1960-69. He moved his family to Malibu, CA in 1970, and joined Pepperdine University as professor and chair of the Social Science Division, retiring in 1993 and moving to Hot Springs Village, AR. He received an Outstanding Teaching Award at both Harding and Pepperdine University and co-founded the Pepperdine University Faculty/Staff Scholarship Fund, encouraging faculty and staff to support outstanding students who had financial need.

The loss of their youngest son, Roy Gilliam, in 1993 inspired Bob and Dorothy to create a grief recovery course in which lay persons in churches were trained to lead grief recovery support groups. During his ''reassignment'', he enjoyed making homemade ice cream, golfing, wood working, swimming, and biking around Hot Springs Village. Bob began to show signs of memory impairment in 2006. This prompted he and Dorothy's move to Parkway Village in 2008 where they experienced a loving, supportive community as the challenges of his dementia increased.

Bob was known for his passion for life and sharing the love of Christ. He worked to create loving communities and was well known for his encouraging words and loving hugs. He gained the nickname ''The Bear'' for his challenging teaching and his strong ''bear'' hugs. Bob entertained a troop of grandchildren with his story telling, always done with humor never taking himself too seriously. He enjoyed swimming with the grandchildren to the island in Balboa Lake and taking them for spins in his golf cart. He was a masterful speaker, had an effortless intellect, was a respected father, a window for his grandchildren into an old world of kindness without expectation, and an anchor of integrity, compassion and humility for an ever-flourishing family that owe him so much and will miss him immensely. His wife, children and grandchildren cannot imagine a more Godly husband, father and grandfather whose unconditional love was a foretaste of heaven.

Bob's life will be celebrated on Saturday, October 7 at 2 p.m. at the Pleasant Valley Church of Christ in Little Rock, AR where Bob and Dorothy have been active members for 9 years. Bob is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Dorothy Gilliam, children and their spouses, Priscilla and Holden MacRae, David and Vanessa Gilliam, and daughter-in-law Lisette Osborne and her husband Earney Osborne, as well as grandchildren and their spouses, Micala and Dan Clark, Manali MacRae, Cameron Gilliam, Whitney Gilliam, Tricia and Carl Schulze, Nathan and Jaime Gilliam, Zachary and Destiny Osborne and great-grandchildren, CJ Schulze, Caleb, Rachael, Asa and Seth Gilliam, and Ellie Osborne. His son Roy Gilliam preceded him in death.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made in his memory to Pepperdine University Faculty/Staff Scholarship Fund, https://give.pepperdine.edu/seaver/gilliam,
or Parkway Village Fitness Center, 14300 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, AR 72211


Hotel Information:

Group name: Bear Gilliam
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