Joel T. Gilliam was born October 21, 1938 in Tuscumbia, AL, the oldest of George and Millie Gilliam’s 15 children. At an early age, his family moved to the City of Detroit, where he attended the public school system, graduating from Northwestern High School in 1957.
He enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he served eight years and received an honorable discharge in 1965. He met and married the love of his life, Loretta Holt, in 1966, and they have two daughters, Michelle Gilliam Jordan and Staci Nicole Gilliam.
He was appointed to the Detroit Police Department on May 26, 1968. During his 26 years of service he rose through the ranks, retiring as commander in February 1995.
Joel earned a baccalaureate degree in police administration from Wayne State University and a masters of public administration from the University of Detroit. He attended the Senior Management Institute for Police at the Harvard University School of Business and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA.
In 1995, Joel and Loretta moved to Madison, AL. He continued to serve the public by working at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville as the supervisor of security. In 1997, Joel made history when he was appointed the first African-American chief of police for the city of Decatur. Upon his retirement in 2007, he served as interim chief of police for Alabama A&M University in Normal, AL.
Joel was a committed member of Annunciation of the Lord Catholic Church and many professional, civic, and religious organizations. Some of them include: 100 Black Men of America, Inc., Police Athletic League, International Association of Police Chiefs, Decatur Kiwanis Club, and Knights of Columbus. He was also a graduate of Leadership Decatur and Leadership Alabama.
He received many awards, honors, and special recognitions by members of our community, but the honor he was most proud to receive was being called “PaPa” by his beloved granddaughter, Lauren Nicole.
He is survived by his devoted wife of 49 years, Loretta; daughters, Michelle Gilliam Jordan and Staci Nicole Gilliam. His memory is also cherished by his son-in-law, Clayton Jordan; and granddaughter, Lauren Nicole Jordan. In addition, he is survived by five sisters and three brothers who all reside in Detroit, MI.
A visitation will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday October 22, 2015, at Royal Funeral Home, 4315 Oakwood, Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35810.
On Friday October 23, 2015, the family will receive visitors between 8 to 10 a.m. at Annunciation of the Lord Catholic Church. 3910 Spring Avenue, SW, Decatur, AL 35603. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Internment will in the Alabama National Cemetery, Montevallo, AL with a military service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made in the name “Joel Gilliam” to: St. Ann Educational Foundation c/o Annunciation of the Lord Catholic Church, 256-353-2667, or the Vanderbilt Center for Kidney Disease in Nashville, TN, www.vckd.org.
