Julius Franklin Gaillard III's Obituary
Julius F. Gaillard III was born to Julius F. Gaillard Jr. and Adele Chilton Gaillard on August 9, 1941 at Provident Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. He attended both Sexton and Cornell Elementary Schools and Hirsch High School where he graduated in 1959. He attended Salem Lutheran Church on the South Side of Chicago where he participated in the basketball youth league and Boy Scouts. He worked at Woodlawn Boys Club. He received an Associate degree from Southeast Junior College. Upon being awarded the first W. Clement Stone Scholarship, he attended George Williams College and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1963. It was there he joined the fraternity Sigma Delta Alpha where the friendships of this brotherhood would last over 50 years. He went on to graduate from the University of Illinois, Jane Addams Graduate School of Social Work in 1965 with a Master of Social Work.
Julius worked with urban youth and families. He spent many summers as a camp counselor for the YMCA where he earned the beloved lifelong nickname of 'Jay'. In the early 60's he was a counselor at the Pioneer Youth Camp in upstate Rifton, New York. It was during this time that he found his true calling to become an advocate for social change.
He worked on the West side of Chicago at BBR Community Center doing youth gang outreach. He also worked at youth centers and settlement houses. He was the Director of Thresholds Quarterway House Adolescent Research Project at the Chicago-Read Mental Health Center. In 1971 he became Director of Adolescent Services at Chicago-Read. He subsequently trained graduate students as Assistant Professor of Community Organization at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration.
In 1974, he moved to Fresno, California, with his wife, Debra Rhodes Gaillard where he was the Program Manager for the Central Valley Regional Center. It was in Fresno, where he and Debra welcomed their first born daughter, Aisha Eartha Gaillard (who he affectionately called '#1') in July, 1975. In 1977 the young family relocated to Oakland, California, where he took the position of Executive Director of the Golden Gate Regional Center in San Francisco, California. Shortly after the move, the Gaillards became a family of four as their son, Julius F. Gaillard IV (who he affectionately called 'Hoss') was born in October ,1977. For the next 26 years, he served a community-based network of disabled children and adults in the Bay Area. Julius and his family would become rooted in the community where many new friendships flowered into adored extended family. He was a prime example of a Husband, Father, Brother, Provider, Leader, Mentor and Friend who inspired many to become who they are today.
He was affiliated with many esteemed organizations throughout his life such as: American Association of Mental Retardation, American Public Health Association, Association of Regional Center Agencies, Bay Area Black United Fund, Bay Area Urban League, National Association of Black Social Workers, National Institute of Art and Disabilities Board of Directors, The United Way of the Bay Area Board of Directors, University Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive Board of Trustees (University of California, Berkeley), and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity Beta Upsilon Boulé (Sire Archon 2010-2012).
Upon retirement in 2003, Julius settled into a life of world travel and adventure unlike no other. One of those adventures took him on the campaign trail for the 2008 election of our 44th President Barack Obama. He served as a Field Representative for the Cleveland, Ohio headquarters. This was truly one of the highlights of his life. Julius was an avid lover of the outdoors. An aviation enthusiast, he'd always had aspirations to become a pilot. He enjoyed camping, skiing, road trips, photography, reading, and music. One of his most favorite things to do was to drive on a road he had never traveled with his favorite tunes serving as the soundtrack.
His legacy lives on through his loving wife of 39 years, Debra Rhodes Gaillard; his daughter Aisha Eartha Gaillard Blackwell (William H. Blackwell Jr.); his son and namesake, Julius F. Gaillard IV; his two adoring granddaughters who love their Papa, Asata Liani, and Amaya Imani; his brother Ralph C. Gaillard Sr. (Mary Gaillard), his sister Jill Gaillard Sampson (John Sampson); nephew and nieces Ralph Jr., Sean, Nicolle, Courtney, and Jenna; and a host of loving cousins and other relatives near and far.
Julius, affectionately known as Jay, took pride in being not only a leader and mentor, but simply put, a good friend to all. And the soundtrack of his life will continue to play on through all of us.
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