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Obituary

A quiet death cuts in on a life full of plans

ROBERT H. "MIKE' JILLSON: 1945-2006. Mike Jillson was 60, healthy and thinking of a retirement home. Now his wife wonders how she'll go on without him.

By MARTY CLEAR
Published January 20, 2006

	Mike Jillson

BRANDON - Mike and Beverly Jillson had a lot of plans in the works. They had bought some land in North Carolina near friends. They were going to build a house there, and Mr. Jillson would finally retire and spend his days working on his land.

It didn't work out that way.

On Thursday morning (Jan. 12, 2006), Beverly Jillson couldn't wake her husband. He had died in his sleep of a massive coronary. He was 60 years old and had been in good health with no history of heart problems. He had been working and visiting with friends up until the day he died.

"He had stated that that was the way he wanted to go," his wife said. "But it's such a shock. I don't know how I'm going to get through the next few days."

Mr. Jillson was already 45 years old and divorced when he and Beverly married. They celebrated their 15th anniversary just a few months ago.

"I knew I wouldn't have long enough with him," she said. "But I certainly thought I'd have longer than this."

Mr. Jillson was born in Laurel, Miss. His father wanted to name him Robert, but his mother preferred Michael.

Dad won the battle, but mom won the war: His birth certificate lists his name as Robert Hugh Jillson, but everyone who knew him for his entire life called him Mike.

The family moved to South Tampa in 1955, where he attended Robinson High School. About the time he finished high school, they moved to Brandon. He enrolled at the University of South Florida.

He spent his entire career in the airline industry, mostly working for Eastern and Continental in customer service or sales and marketing.

He met his wife-to-be while she was working for a travel agency. They were friends for several years before they started dating.

"He came into the office all the time, and I just knew him as the kindest, most gallant, most caring man I had ever met," she said. "The moment you met him you felt as if you had known him for years."

He was already married so she never thought of him as a potential boyfriend until years later. But he was apparently smitten from the start.

"The day we were married he said, "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this, and I can't believe it's really happening,' " she recalled. "He spoiled me rotten, and I'm very proud of that."

He retired from the airline industry in 2002 and went to work for Tropical Sportswear Inc., which later became Perry Ellis.

He had another career on the side, working alongside his best friend of 50 years, Ray Collins. They'd appear together at weddings, conventions and reunions, spinning records as DJ Ray and MC Mike.

They weren't content to simply play music, though, Collins said. They'd dress alike and perform dance routines, and even do a Blues Brothers tribute.

"We liked to play happy music, especially the oldies that Mike loved," Collins said.

After he got word of his friend's death, Collins began putting together a list of songs he would play at the memorial service. It would be his first solo job as a disc jockey in many years.

"It won't be happy songs, but it will be songs that Mike loved," he said. "He was the best friend a guy could have. We were closer than brothers, and a lot of people are going to miss him a whole lot."

Mr. Jillson is survived by his wife and his sister Judy Rose.

[Last modified January 19, 2006, 08:52:06]