John J. Gullatt JR

Obituary for John J. Gullatt, Jr.

John J. (“Jimmy”) Gullatt, Jr. was born in Texarkana, Texas on March 21, 1938 as
the oldest son of John J., Sr. and Lucille Gullatt. He was not quite two years old
when the family moved to Russell City, California as part of a larger Gullatt family
migration following the loss of the family saw mill at the hands of unscrupulous
white men.
He attended Russell City Grammar School across the street from the local library,
and owned the first 1933 Plymouth in town – at the age of 14! Eventually the
family moved to Oakland and resided on Coral Street in Brookfield Village, which
was built during World War II to house the influx of workers needed for the war
industry. As a young man in Brookfield Village, Jimmy kept himself very busy,
working at Granny Goose after school, working smudge pots on the weekends
with his father and his brother Bert, and unloading boxes at the George K market.
He attended Castlemont High School until the 11th grade.

Always the charmer, when he was 16 years old he convinced his father to give
him permission to join the Air Force, and he served until he was 19. After an
honorable discharge, he became a pipefitter for 15 years, and in 1972 began
working for the City of Modesto. He retired from the City of Modesto in 1994
after 24 years of service. In his retirement he enjoyed fishing and spending time
with his family.
Jimmy was preceded in death by his father, John Sr.; his mother, Lucille; his
brothers Burt, Harold and Joe; his sister Doris Woods; and his daughter Annetta
Jones. He is survived by his loving partner of 34 years, Chanh Siphavong; his
brother Donald Gullatt (Delores); his daughters Eleanor Brown (Bruce), Vicki
Gullatt, Lisa Quintana (Robert), Tina Parcelluzzi (Allan) and Candi Chen; his sons
Michael Gullatt, John Gullatt III (sherry) Joe Cuellar (Sarah) and Bounleuam (Anna); and
numerous loving grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and
cousins.

2 Corinthians 5 

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ... Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

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