Her husband said that in his position as president of the Philadelphia Licensed Tavern and Merchants Association, she was ``an extraordinary asset and very supportive of me.
``I was involved in a lot of city projects and had to take a lot of time serving on boards over the years. She was always supportive.''
He also said that he could call her and ask her to prepare a meal for three people or 30 and she could make it happen and make it look easy.
She also was there to help him with the association's scholarship program, bake sales and other activities.
``She struggled to put two of our girls through college,'' he said. ``She made sacrifices.''
He said that in raising the children, ``her patience was extraordinary. She was a woman of style and class. She never exploded. She always maintained that posture.''
He said that her daughters try to dress and act like their mother.
In retirement, Gilliard loved to be Mom Mom to the grandchildren and was active with her family in White Rock Baptist Church, where she belonged to the Sheepfold of Micah.
Gilliard was a graduate of Simon Gratz High School and had attended other technical and business-oriented schools in subsequent years.
Survivors also include two sons, Prince Michael Gilliard and Timothy Brooks; three daughters, Renee Gilliard, Michelle Gilliard Houston and Evelyn Smith; three sisters, Edith Moore, Vera Mackey and Betty Amos; a brother, Leon Buck; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will begin at 11 a.m. Friday at White Rock Baptist Church, 53rd and Chestnut streets, where friends may call two hours earlier.
Burial will be in Ivy Hill Cemetery.
OTHA JOYNER Otha Joyner, a retired contractor, died Sunday. He was 77 and lived in North Philadelphia.
Joyner was employed for 41 years by General Asphalt Co.
