George William Gilles, 92, of Cincinnati, Ohio, passed away peacefully on August 10, 2025. Born June 21, 1933, in Alma Center, Wisconsin, to Anna &  Leo Gilles, George was the seventh of ten children. George grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin without plumbing or electricity, where early mornings and late nights were spent milking cows. He often shared stories of those hard days, including how he always tried to secure the middle spot in bed with his two brothers to keep warm on cold Wisconsin nights. While he was grateful for the lessons of farm life, he couldn't wait to move on to something else.

After leaving the farm, George went to work for the Railroad Company until duty called him to serve in the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in Germany. Upon his return, his natural charm and likable personality led him into sales. George rose quickly through the ranks with moves to Lima, Ohio, Kalamazoo, Michigan, and finally Cincinnati.

George met Julie Osterman and they were married on November 30, 1963 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. They raised four kids together. Julie became ill and died Sept 1, 2007.

George was lucky enough to find another love—Sonja! He always said he married the two perfect women—Julie to raise a family with and Sonja to enjoy retirement with. George and Sonja were married December 31, 2010.

George was a faithful Catholic who believed in building a firm foundation on Jesus Christ. He and Julie worked hard to ensure their children were raised in the Catholic faith, putting all four through Catholic schools. A 50+ year parishioner of All Saints Church, George loved chairing the Poker/Blackjack booth for years and volunteering at NEEDS Food Pantry with his grandchildren.

He had a unique gift for enjoying life's simple pleasures: a good round of golf, a competitive game of racquetball, poker nights with the Montgomery Woodsman, an ice-cold cheap beer at the Spring House, watching Fox News, opening his mail, and cheering for the Green Bay Packers!

George is survived by his beloved wife, Sonja; his four children—Chris (Amy), Cindy (Bob), Patrick (Pam), and Kevin (Sarah); and 13 grandchildren. He is also survived by Sonja's daughters, Tamara (Ron) and Michelle (Matt), along with her 8 grandchildren and 1 great grandson. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Julia Rose Gilles, and his favorite son-in-law, Steve Bambauer.

Visitation will be Thursday, August 14, 2025, from 9:00–10:00 a.m. at Gilligan Funeral Home, followed by a 10:30 a.m. Mass at All Saints Church. Burial will take place at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions suggested to NEEDS Food Pantry or All Saints Education Fund George's life was proof that faith, hard work, and a sense of humor will take you far. And now, at last, he's home.

NEEDS Food Pantry
8341 Kenwood Rd, Cincinnati OH 45236
Web: https://cincyneeds.org/donate-volunteer/

All Saints Education Fund
8939 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati OH 45236
Tel: 1-513-792-4732
Web: https://allsaints.cc/school