This memorial website was created in the memory of my brother, Michael Anthony "Tony" Gill who was born on January 20, 1980 to Michael and Barbara (Codispoti) Gill of Holden, West Virginia. Tony passed away on April 17, 2005 at the young age of 25.  Tony was a student at Glenville State College, pursuing a degree in Environmental Science.  He was also an employee of Massey Energy Coal as an Environmental Technologist.  Tony was an avid hunter and fishermen.  He loved the outdoors.  Tony enjoyed watching CNN News and The History Channel.  He spent most of his time with his two hunting beagles, Casper and Sally, and his best friend, Justin Hainer. Tony lived life to the fullest.  He lived 50 years in 25. My brother will forever live on through his family and  friends.  He was loved by so many and will never be forgotten.

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose...
all that we love deeply becomes a part of us." -Helen Keller

Tony's Obituary

Michael Anthony (Tony) Gill, 25 of Holden left this world on Sunday, April 17, 2005 at Logan Regional Medical Center to be with his loving grandparents, Bernard and Natalina Codispoti whom he loved so very much. Tony was born on January 20, 1980 to Michael and Barbara (Codispoti) Gill. He was a 1998 Honor Graduate of Logan High School, a 1994 Golden Horseshoe Knight and of Catholic faith. Tony attended Glenville State College pursing a degree in Environmental Science. He would have graduated in December 2005. He was also an employee of Massey Energy Coal as an environmental technologist, and a former employee of Logan Physical Therapy. Tony was an avid hunter, fishermen and loved the outdoors. He enjoyed watching CNN News and The History Channel, but most of all, Tony loved spending time with his beagles, Casper and Sally. He never met a stranger

He was preceded in death not only by his Nana and Papa Codispoti but one aunt, Kathy Gill Padgett, and a special cousin, Anna Marie Gill.

He is survived by his parents, one sister, Bernadette Natalina Gill at home, his grandparents, Charles and Christine Gill of Crooked Creek, godparents, Rosalia Rossetti of Boston, MA and Leonard Codispoti of Logan. His special little princess Kennedy Preece. His very special aunt, Frances Codispoti of Holden, aunts Rosalie (Ralph) Rossetti of Boston, MA, Theresa (Robert) Iafrate of Allston, MA, Marie (Randy) Redmond of Holden, Vickie (Doug) Hibbs of Holden, Nancy Wolfe of Crooked Creek, Sandy Armentrout Jones of Six Mile, uncles Sostene (Leeann) Codispoti of Columbus, OH, Pete (Chris) Codispoti of Holden, Leonard (Kelly) Codispoti of Logan, Joe (Cindy) Codispoti of Holden, Frank Codispoti of Holden, Randy (Debbie) Gill of Lake, cousins Marisa (Michael) Maglio, sons Robbie and Marco. Antoinette and Mario Iafrate, Mika (Joe) Mahone and daughter Gabrielle, Jennifer and Cody Redmond, Christopher, Natalie, Joseph, Jonathan, Martin, Matthew, Stephen, Cameron, Brittany Codispoti, Adrian Rankin, Andy Gill, Brian Jewell, Christy (Kevin) McKnight and children Taylor and Tyler, Jennifer (Anthony) Grando and Eric Wolfe. His very special friends Justin Hainer, Brian Jones, Benji Barnette, Bo Messer, Chris Workman, Bucky Brogan and Jeff Curry.

Pallbearers will be Bo Messer, Brian Jones, Justin Hainer, Cody Redmond, Martin Codispoti, Chris Workman, Bucky Brogan and Benji Barnette.

Honorary pallbearers will be Marty Allen, Gary Miles, Greg Ross, Eric Salyers, Terry Ball, David Summers, Dennis Runyon, David Donahue, Tommy Browning and Jeff Curry.

Honaker Funeral Home in Logan is in charge of the arrangements.

The Eulogy Jennifer wrote & spoke

I thought about what I would say for hours. I wasn’t sure how to start. I don’t even know if this is okay. How do you put into words what someone means to you and everyone else in this room? How do you sum 25 years into a speech?
I don’t have any answers to any of these questions or the whys, what ifs, or hows I’ve heard. I can’t understand, comprehend, or believe…

It catches us off guard sometimes--the way God works. You never expect things like this to happen to you or anyone you love--But they do and they have.

Tears fall to remind us that we’re real when the world feels like it isn’t. And tears have fallen, but it still doesn’t feel real. I half-expect Tony to bust in the door and say, “Booty, what’s everyone so sad for?” and then we’d all just laugh. That’s what he did--lit up rooms and lit up hearts.

Tony was the know-it-all, hardheaded, “not scared of anything” guy we all loved so much. He was the overprotective big brother who snuck off to go fishing, who loved to watch CNN, who lived for the outdoors, and who drove way to fast.

Tony was so much to so many-- A son, a brother, a friend, a nephew, an inspiration, and a confidant. I’ve heard everyone say “My Tony” over and over these past few days and that’s what he was: Everyone’s Tony. Everyone loved Tony. He loved everyone.

I know that it’s unfair to question God. But we do. I know we can’t wonder why, but we do that too. His plan is so much greater than any of us. We have to believe that Tony is safe in Gods’ arms--safe with Nana and Papa who were waiting on their Tony.

Martin told me Tony lived 50 years in 25. And he did. He lived everyday to the fullest--he had his fun, he had his family, and he had enough love to fill this room 5,000 times. He had his dreams that can live on through us now. Tony will forever be a part of us. He taught us all something different. He taught me that if you put shaving cream in a cup and tell your little bother that it’s whipped cream, he will eat it. He taught me that if you’re scared of everything, you never have any fun. He showed me that life shouldn’t be taken for granted. Tony taught me how to fish. I may be terrible at it, but I’m vowing to go more often now.

From 2 Corinthians Ch 1, 3:4

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comforts, who comforted us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God.”

And we should remember and remember well and let our memories be our comfort. We all have our memories with Tony--those crazy, special, sweet memories that we’ll hold so close. So let us celebrate his life together and let us not focus on we’ll never do with him, but remember all the wonderful things that we did. Let us continue to love him--my cousin, my Tony, my friend.

I’ll end with When I Must Leave You By Helen Steiner Rice:

When I must leave you for a little while,
Please do not grieve and shed wild tears,
And hug your sorrow to you through the years,
But start out bravely with a gallant smile,
And for my sake and in my name,
Live on and do all things the same.
Feed not your loneliness on empty days,
But fill each hour in useful ways.
Reach out your hand in comfort and in cheer,
And I in turn will hold you near.
And never, never be afraid to die
I wait for you up in the sky.

We have to know that at this very moment, Tony is holding us in his arms, watching down on us, and giving us strength.. He will always be remembered.

Fisherman's Prayer
I pray that I may live to fish.......
Until my dying day.
And when it comes to my last cast,
I then most humbly pray:
When in the Lord's great landing net
And peacefully asleep
That in His mercy I be judged
Big enough to keep.