Reflecting on a life well-lived with Cathy Gillem
by Shuyler Clark
Townsfolk may know her from her history assisting veterans as a member of the American Legion’s Auxiliary. Former students may recall her passionate performance as Mrs. Riley at the Waterloo Farm Museum. Others still may be familiar with her dazzling artwork. Regardless of the circumstances, community members are sure to have benefited from Cathy Gillem’s charity over the years.
Having recently celebrated her 80th birthday, Gillem has dedicated her life to community service and has no intention of stopping soon.
Born in Detroit in 1941, Gillem grew up as an only child on a Brighton farm, helping parents James and Anna Buckner with the many associated chores. Throughout her school years, she attended the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls’ Michigan chapter, going on to be Worthy Advisor for the Brighton area and later a state representative. She graduated in 1960 with a class of 49, but not before winning two spelling bees and placing second on two other occasions, accomplishments she is proud of to this day.
Gillem’s father, adhering to more traditional ideals at the time, did not believe women needed a college education. With the help of her mother and a $500 loan from her grandfather, Gillem defied this way of thinking and attended Baker Business University. She worked all manner of jobs to cover tuition, including waiting tables, bookkeeping and secretary duties at an advertising agency, and working with medical records at McLaren Hospital. She earned two associate degrees in her lifetime, the first as executive secretary in 1962 and the second in business administration with cum laude honors in 1984. As she recalls, “My family was the loudest at the graduation as I received my diploma.”
In addition to her education, Gillem has always cherished family. She has three daughters by her first marriage: Christina and Cynthia, identical twins, and Candace, her youngest. Following her divorce, Gillem continued working, taking on several secretary positions to support her three children on her own. At this point, her father “finally admitted that women needed [their] education,” Gillem says. In 1993, she met Ray Gillem, and the two married in 1995. She shares his two daughters, Denise and Dana, whom he had raised by himself. In addition, Gillem has six grandchildren, including one deceased granddaughter, and four great-grandchildren.
Following her retirement, Gillem strove for and continues to maintain her community bonds through participation in numerous charitable groups. From volunteering with the Stockbridge Community Outreach, the Chelsea Senior Center, and the Copper Nail of Grass Lake, to serving as a member of St. Mary Magdalen’s of Brighton, to raising scholarship funds with the Chelsea Area Garden Club, there isn’t much Gillem hasn’t done for the area.
Most notably, as a member of the Waterloo Needlework Club, she has sewn a plethora of quilts for surviving spouses of American Legion members, dialysis units, and pediatric hospital patients.
Gillem also puts stock in individual bonds within the community. Family and friends will fondly recall extravagant Easter egg hunts, with a whopping 82 children in attendance in one year alone. Others are grateful for her selfless compassion. As one local resident tells it, when she was recovering from surgery, Gillem made over a week’s worth of home-cooked meals for her and her husband.
When asked what drives Gillem to build these tight-knit bonds, she responds, “What goes around comes around. Do unto others as they would do unto you. I smile and am thankful I can help someone who needs it.”
Gillem’s charity has not gone unappreciated, either. As aforementioned, she volunteered with the Waterloo Farm Museum as Mrs. Riley during school tours, with her husband joining her as Mr. Riley. Together, the pair educated students on settler life, teaching them how to wash socks, churn butter, and saw wood as well as the history and lifestyles of such settlers. Gillem recounts a graduation ceremony she attended in Saline. A young woman recognized her and her husband as the museum’s titular characters. “What a joy to realize we had made such an impression to have her remember us years later,” Gillem writes. “This is a great thank you for our volunteering efforts!”
With such an impressive track record behind her, Gillem’s service history is not to be understated. Her work has not only positively impacted her community but also has granted her a sense of self-fulfillment. “Makes me feel good about myself,” she says of her service.
Gillem has one piece of advice for those looking to contribute more community service in their own lives: “Take the time to give back to the community,” she writes, “as you never know when or if you need that service. Make a difference in someone else’s life. It will make you feel good about yourself.”
Cathy Gillem’s artistic talents range from quilting to painting, and many in the community benefit from her handiwork. Photos provided by Cathy Gillem
Cathy Gillem at her most recent birthday. “Not bad for an 80-year-old,” says this woman of note, and we have to agree! Photo provided by Cathy Gillem.
