Edwin "Gilly" Gilman Squire

Edwin Gilman “Gilly” Squire made his final bull-headed gesture in the early hours of March 14th. While his daughter Becky had sat vigil since the beginning of his hospital stay to ensure that he didn’t shuffle off his mortal coil alone, he made sure to do so while she was using the restroom, because he did everything on his own damn terms.

He was born August 22nd of 1926 in Los Angeles, California (though if you accused him of his birthplace he’d call you a liar) to Myrtle Mae “Judy” Kurtz and Bert John Squire. He lived most of his life in Southern Oregon, graduating from Kerby Union High School in 1943. He served in World War II from 1/25/46-9/7/1947, where he was stationed in Guam as a guard to Japanese prisoners of war. After the war he settled down outside of the town of Cave Junction, where he would live out the remainder of his days.

Gilly first saw the love of his life, Barbara Marie White, early in the year of 1949, riding past his favorite coffee shop on a white horse. When he laid eyes on her, he told his friend that he was going to marry her someday; a threat he made good on a few months later on June 25th, 1949. They were happily married nearly 53 years, until Barbara passed on February 1, 2002.

Gilly was a lover of music, partial to classics such as Johnny Cash and Roger Miller. He lived in plaid shirts, worn out jeans, and did not believe in underwear. He was a fan of vintage Pontiacs, enjoyed splitting wood, and had an unrivaled love affair with chocolate ice cream. He never met a dog he didn’t like, but his trusty sidekick “Sy” was by far his favorite. He loved him so much in fact that in his later years he requested to be buried next to him (it should also be noted that Sy was buried next to the old outhouse). Much to his disappointment, Gilly’s ashes will be spread alongside his sweetheart on their property, and his name memorialized at Eagle Point National Cemetery.

Left to squabble over his vast collection of rocks, random logging photos, and the responsibility (privilege) of feeding his deer/turkeys are his children Becky Burrow (of Grants Pass, OR), Cindy Enloe (of Exeter, CA), Matt Squire (of Cave Junction, OR) and Burt Squire (of Alturas, CA). He also leaves behind his grandchildren Waylon, Gilly, Amanda, Cody, Paul, Malina, Tim, Rachel, Tristan, and Mikki, and his great grandchildren Nova, Boaz, Austin, Riley, Addison, Elias, Asa, and Lance.

Gilly was preceded in death by his beloved daughter Valorie “Bow Bow” Squire (of Cave Junction), and his sister Juanita Buell (of Grants Pass). The family has no doubt that the two mischief-makers were there to greet him in the afterlife, where they inevitably gave him a hard time about his butt showing through his hospital gown.

A celebration of life will be held at the Grange Hall in Cave Junction on April 15th from 2pm-4pm. Military Funeral Honors by the Oregon Army National Guard will begin at 2:00 pm. Please dress comfortably; Gilly wouldn’t dress up for his own daughter’s wedding and definitely wouldn’t approve of any stuffy bullsh*t at his own party.

Sorry Barbara, we did our best to keep him out of your hair as long as we could. Ball’s back in your court now.

A celebration of Gilly’s life will be from 2-4 p.m., Saturday, April 15, 2023 at the Illinois Valley Grange, 3763 Holland Loop Road, Cave Junction OR 97523.