Robert P. Gillotte 88 of 3924 Parkman Drive died Tuesday August 15 2006 at his residence.Mr. Gillotte was born on June 25 1918 in Oran Algeria the only son of the late Charles and Henriette Holdrinet Gillotte. He was a member of St.John's Episcopal Church Wheat Street where he previously served as a member of the Vestry and helped to organize the usher program. He served in the French Air Force during World War II and trained at several American Air Force bases before being stationed at the Hawthorne School of Aeronautics in Orangeburg S.C. While in Orangeburg he was an instructor for aspiring French pilots providing them with primary training in theory of flight and aerodynamics. It is in Orangeburg that he met his future wife Alma "Sandy" Blackmon who he married shortly after the war. Discharged from the French Air Force in 1946 Mr. Gillotte was subsequently employed by the Allis-Chalmers Export Service Department in Milwaukee WI. In 1949 he proudly obtained his American citizenship. Due to his father's failing health he returned with his family to his native Algeria in 1953 to take over the family business. The family departed Algeria and returned to America in 1959 following an escalation in fighting during that country's civil war. The family temporarily settled in Chappells SC where he served on the Town Council. Shortly after Mr. Gillotte's parents immigrated to the States in 1962 he moved the family to Columbia and started the Robert P. Gillotte Co. Inc. Specializing in the sale of Oblique files imported from France Mr. Gillotte became the sole distributor for the product in the United States setting up hundreds of dealerships throughout the country. He was also responsible for opening distribution channels for Oblique in Canada and Australia. The company was eventually purchased by Atlantic Envelope a division of (Fortune 500) National Service Industries. Mr. Gillotte was an active member of the Rotary Club International and a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a member of the Columbia and Five Points Rotary Clubs and successfully served as District Chairman of the foreign/domestic Youth Exchange Program. Mr. Gillotte also served as Secretary and President of the World War II Hawthorne Pilot Training Association a post-war memorial organization.He is survived by his wife of 60 years Alma "Sandy" Blackmon Gillotte; two daughters and sons-in-law Danielle and Bill Hawley of Columbia and Sylvia Lynn Gillotte and Sidney Ettedgui of Sarasota FL; a son and daughter-in-law Mark and Jan Gillotte of Columbia; nine grandchildren Claire Gillotte Dunn Leslie Gillotte Paula Gillotte Malsert Chapman Nicole Gordon Erin Mewshaw Bertin Mewshaw Jeremy Ettedgui and Jason Ettedgui.Funeral services was conducted at 10:30 AM Saturday at St. John's Episcopal Church by the Rev. J. Fletcher Montgomery. Interment did follow in Chappells (S.C.) Baptist Church cemetery at 3:00 PM.Visitation was from 5:30 to 7:30 PM Friday at the residence.The family would like to thank Winyah Community Hospice for their loving and caring staff and requests that you honor Mr. Gillotte's memory by making memorials to St. John's Episcopal Church 2827 Wheat Street Columbia S.C. 29205 or Chappells Baptist Cemetery Fund c/o Betty Harmon 3018 Scurry Island Road Chappells SC 29037Active pallbearers were Mark Gillotte Bertin Mewshaw Bill HawleySidney Ettedgui Jay Blackmon Jim Blackmon Mike Blackmon Stanley Miller Richard Sloan and Bill Stout. Honorary pallbearers were Mike Risher Bob Stanley Hal Kohn Jr. Harold Reynolds Jerry Lorick Bob Mackay Jack Willhoit Jack Sellers Charles Edwards Bruce Marshall Jim Welch Ray Mewshaw Foster Chapman and Malcolm Gordon.Messages to the family may be sent via email to notes@whitakerfuneralhome. comWhitaker Funeral Home Newberry is assisting the family.