Joseph G. Gellings, age 89, a resident of Windsor Park Manor in Carol Stream and formerly of Oswego, IL, died Tuesday, November 27, at the Johnson Heathcare Center at Windsor Park Manor. He was born on February 12, 1918 to Joseph and Pearl Gellings in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BS in Electrical Engineering and earned a MS in Electrical Engineering from Ohio State University. While attending Ohio State he met Elizabeth Clark who he married on August 2, 1941. He worked for Bell Laboratories for 30 years in various locations in New Jersey and retired from the Naperville complex. Highlights of his career were; working on microwave communications to help with the WW II war effort, participating in the laying of the first transatlantic telephone cable to Europe and development of Solid State Digital Switching for telephone calls. He was an avid ham radio operator for many years, was a pilot, and enjoyed long brisk walks. He loved our country and the values upon which it was established.
He was a longtime member of Central Bible Church in Aurora.
Joe is survived by two children, Joseph Gellings of Shawano, WI and Ginny (Jack) Cooney of Wheaton, seven grandchildren, Joseph (Tuan) Gellings, Robyn (Scott) Johnson, and John Gellings, Sean, Ryan, Brendan and Shannon Cooney, four great-grandchildren, Meredith, Maggie, Sander and Moriah Johnson, and one brother, John Gellings. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Elizabeth, one daughter, Kitty, four siblings and his parents.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 1 from 10 am until the time of a funeral service at 11 am at Wheaton Evangelical Free Church, 520 E. Roosevelt Rd. in Wheaton. Interment will be held at River Hills Memorial Park in Batavia.
Memorials may be directed to Central Bible Church, 940 West Galena Blvd., Aurora, IL 60506.