Clifford (Cliff) Gillis, age 82 of Dunseith, died in his home on Friday, August 15, 2014. Funeral services will be held at 9:00 A.M.. on Tuesday at St. Michael's Catholic Church of Dunseith. Burial will be at the family cemetery located on his farm near Dunseith. A wake will be held on Monday, beginning at 4:00 P.M., with a 7:00 pm prayer service and rosary at the Eagle Heart Cultural Center of Dunseith.

Clifford Robert Gillis, the seventh child and fourth son of John and Lucy (Davis) Gillis Sr., was born on July 25 or 27, 1932 in his parents' home near Dunseith. He attended school at the Dunseith Day School until he transferred to Flandreau Indian School. He left early to enter the US Marines on January 17, 1951; he served in the Korean Conflict, received a Purple Heart during his tour, and was honorably discharged on February 7, 1953. He returned to complete high school at Flandreau Indian School, where he was trained in masonry by George Ray.

Cliff met Alice DeCoteau in Flandreau and married her in Stanley, ND on June 2, 1955. He moved his family with him to various job sites until 1957, when he settled his family north of Dunseith. He continued in masonry for Don Fretty Construction and began to do small masonry jobs (basements, fireplaces, chimneys, etc); in 1962 he also began to raise cattle; and experimented with different types of livestock. In 1970, Cliff established Dunseith Masonry and contracted masonry work until his retirement in 2005. He contracted for projects that included the Dunseith Public Schools, Dunseith Day School, Garden Gate Clubhouse, Dunseith Nursing Home, Belcourt Hospital, Belcourt schools, Cross Road Range, Rolla Hospital and Turtle Mountain Community College. Alice passed away on January 20, 1994. Later, he was married to Tina Allery for a time. Cliff was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church of Dunseith. He enjoyed gambling, playing whist with family, racing cars, golfing, and picking Tiger Lilies.

Cliff was preceded in death by his parents John and Lucy Gillis; wife of 39 years, Alice; daughter, Sandra Gillis; son, John Gillis; brothers, Frank, Ray, Dave, and Fred Gillis; and sisters, Mildred Crasco, Angelique Olmscheid, Viola Grinnell, Phyllis Schock; and Margaret Belgarde.