Elevator Murder Victim Deloris Gillespie Called 'Giver of Love' at Funeral

The pews of were filled with family, neighbors and local politicians to remember Deloris Gillespie’s life on Friday during her memorial service, by .

Family, friends and area politicians remembered the Underhill Avenue 73-year-old mother's life of generosity and love and said they hoped others would follow in her path. 

Gillespie’s friend of 30 years and post office co-worker, remembered Gillespie as a “walking saint.”

“Her name should have been Teresa,” said Annie Hill as her eyes filled with tears. Hill said she used to frequently drive Gillespie to a farmer’s market to buy food to give to the needy.

“‘You’re going to give all this food to the homeless?’” Hill remembered saying to Gillespie the first time she drove her to the market. 

“‘Yes, they need to eat,’” Hill said her friend replied.

Deloris Jean (Robinson) Gillespie who was born August 31, 1940 in Mangham, Louisiana and was one of 17 children. She was murdered in the elevator of her fifth-floor apartment in Prospect Heights on Saturday, Dec. 17 at age 73.

She is survived by four sons and daughters: DeWayne Robinson, Everett Haynes, Shelia Gillespie Hillsman and Maurice Gillespie. She is also survived by seven brothers and sisters: Julius Causey, Samuel Causey, Rev. Flood Howard Causey, Erie Dell, Thelma Smith, Forita Abdul and Bertha (no last name provided). She also left behind two grandchildren and one great grandchild.

She worked for the U.S. Postal service for two decades, volunteered for Councilmember Letitia James and Mr. Brown’s Day Care and fed the homeless out of her own goodwill.

The sanctuary was filled with lyrics from the first hymn “Blessed Assurance,” as family, friends, neighbors and local politicians came to pay their respects.

As the choir sang “Hold your head up high, don’t you cry, it’s the Lord, Gillespie’s family sat closely together in the first pew, holding each other and wiping tears while they gazed at Gillespie's photos. “Just remember God wants to use you,” the choir sang.

Councilmember Letitia James, , along with a , which came through today, remembered Gillespie for her "charity and kindness."

"That’s what Deloris taught each one of us, and that is her legacy,” James said. “Charity begins at home, that is her story, her mission and her ministry. 

Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries praised Gillespie's work ethic and reminded mourners to celebrate her "magnificent life."

Tracy Gillespie, Deloris’s cousin, did just that.

“She was always concerned about those who were nameless, those who were not counted, frequently missed by everyone else and that was emblematic of the way she lived her life,” she said.

She added, "I believe God gave us a glimpse into this woman’s life so we could see how she did live...she was somebody who believed she was her brother’s keeper.”

In his sermon, the Reverend Dr. Daran H. Mitchell evoked tears, laughter and faith.

“I wish I had some clever answer to ease the pain, I wish I had a funny line to medicate the misery," he said. “When people ask, ‘How you are doing?’...Let them know: ‘I’m mourning, but managing...I’ll never get over it, but God I’m going to get through it...because his grace is sufficient.’” 

After the service, Deloris’s daughter, Shelia Gillespie Hillsman, said the community has helped her family in these times of grief.

“I’m still overwhelmed with all the love we have received. I’m so happy how New York has come together for us,” Hillsman said. “I have gotten hugs on the street every day—it is a lot of love. And it feels right, because she was such a giver of love.”

During Tracy Gillespie’s remarks, she asked that the congregation leave remembering Deloris’s goodwill.

“We have been choked up these past days over the circumstances of her death, but I’d like to take away the lessons of her life," she said. "She was courageous, and she had clarity of her purpose and she had fidelity to her purpose enough that even in the face of danger she continued to give."