Kevin Scott Gillette, Sr., died on Sunday, March 6, 2022, at the age of 61 in Sunrise, Florida, after almost a decade with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease and several months with pancreatic cancer. He passed away at home. At the time of death, his wife Josette and his two children Kevin, Jr., and Krystal were by his side — in a room he worked on with his own two hands, in the same house Kevin and Josette bought together as young newlyweds in 1984.
Kevin was born in East Lansing, Michigan, in 1961 and graduated from McArthur High School in Hollywood, Florida, in 1979.
Kevin’s talents with technology and electronics shaped much of his life. He found a long career at AT&T (though it was called Southern Bell when he started there) and put in 30 years of dedicated service. He was also a long-time CWA union member. Kevin was always excited to tinker with the latest and greatest. This included CB radios at his Lafayette job in the ‘70s, which led to him meeting his high school sweetheart and lifelong love, Josette. He regularly custom built computers and was an early adopter for much of the emerging technology in the ‘90s and early ‘00s. He also became his daughter Krystal’s sound engineer and audio equipment expert for her singing performances. If anyone ever had a computer, tech, or phone question, Kevin was their man.
Kevin was a big nerd and adored “Star Wars,” “Star Trek,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Farscape,” “Stargate SG-1,” and more. He could quote any movie or show after he’d seen it once, though his favorite movies were “Ghostbusters”, “Independence Day”, and “My Cousin Vinny.”
Everyone who knew Kevin admired his charm, charisma, and clever sense of humor. He could walk up to anyone and strike up a conversation. An animated storyteller (and he had countless stories to tell), he was quick with a joke and loved to be around others.
Though his biggest topic of conversation and proudest accomplishment was raising his two children, Kevin, Jr., and Krystal, with his wife Josette. He loved his family and his pride in them knew no limits.
Even after he got sick, Kevin always loved animals. In addition to being a proud pet owner, Kevin and Josette loved to go on walks to see the local wildlife.
Kevin is survived by his wife Josette Sitra Gillette; his son Kevin Gillette, Jr.; his daughter Krystal Gillette, her husband Manuel Arvelo, and their two cats Eva and Tiger; and his cats Hazel, Fiver, Bella, and Potato. Additionally, Kevin is survived by his father, Charles Gillette; his sister Kim Shriver and her husband Keith Shriver; and his sister Kelly Shriver and her husband Philip Shriver. Kevin is also survived by his mother-in-law Jane Sitra; his brother-in-law Joseph Sitra, Jr. and his wife Joann Sitra; his brother-in-law John Sitra and his wife Kimberly Sitra; and his sister-in-law Jill Rosco and her husband Steve Rosco. His large loving family also includes 9 nieces and nephews, their 10 children, and countless cats, dogs, rabbits, and a whole menagerie of family furbabies including an emu.
Family and close friends will gather for a funeral service on Friday, March 11, 2022.