William C. “Bud” Gilmore, Jr. ’40

William C. “Bud” Gilmore, Jr. ’40 of Tampa, Fla., went to be with his Lord, June 4, 2007. At Davidson he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. In 1941 he completed his master of science degree in physics at Vanderbilt University. He also completed a graduate degree at the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. During World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps to serve as a meteorologist. When he was stationed at Drew Field in Tampa, he met Betsy McMichael, and the couple fell in love. Shortly thereafter, Bud was sent to China, where he forecast the weather for bombers flying over “The Hump” the Himalaya Mountains. After his discharge in fall 1945, Lt. Colonel Gilmore and Betsy were married. He worked for two years with Delta Airlines in Atlanta, Ga. Later in Tampa, he took a position with I.W. Phillips, designing air conditioning and heating systems. In 1962, he was employed by the Tampa Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100 in charge of industrial development. In 1966, he went to work at the First National Bank of Tampa, and he retired from the bank in March 1987, as senior vice president in charge of national accounts. He was a member of the American Bankers Association, the American Meteorological Association, Hillsborough Lodge #25 Free and Accepted Masons, Scottish Rite, and Egypt Temple Shrine. He was on the board of directors for Tampa General Hospital and the board of directors of the Southwest Florida Blood Bank in Tampa from 1976 to 2000. He also worked tirelessly for almost sixty years as a Sunday school teacher, deacon, and elder at Hyde Park Presbyterian Church. His extended Tampa family looked to him for guidance in managing their family groves and businesses. He was a servant to all, was never afraid to get his hands dirty and would let no job go undone. Survivors include his wife of sixty-one years, Betsy McMichael Gilmore, 4902 Bayshore Blvd., Apt. 501, Tampa, Fla. 33611-3864; his daughter, Susan Gilmore McSwain (Randy) of Bradenton, Fla.; his son, William C. Gilmore III of Dallas, Texas; his daughter, Beth Gilmore Reineke (Mike) of Lutz, Fla.; his grandchildren, Gil (Anna) McSwain, Matt (Becky) McSwain, Billy (Mary Beth) McSwain, and Jordan and Nathan Reineke, and his great-granddaughter, Abigail Joy McSwain.