Mr. John Wayne Gilman 79, formerly of Lakeland passed away Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, of heart failure.

He was born Dec. 24, 1932, in Fort Madison, Iowa, to the late Helen and George Gilman.

The family moved to Lake Wales in the late 1940s where he graduated from Lake Wales High School. John attended both Georgia Tech and Marquette Universities and married his high school sweetheart Joyce in 1953.

In 1966 they relocated to the Lakeland area where he later became general manager for radio stations WONN and WPCV. In the early 1980s John and his wife established Gilman Real Estate Company where he retired after 30 years. John holds several patents for real estate sign applications.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. His interests included the Lake Wales ‘Class of ’51 reunions, tinkering with his clocks, listening to Big Band music and “to keep everyone smiling” at his most recent residence Water’s Edge of Lake Wales.

John was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Joyce, in 2008.

Survivors include his daughters, Pamela Gilman Turner and her husband, David, of Lake Wales, Paulette Gilman DeGard and her husband, Dan, of Seattle; two grandchildren, Petty Officer 2nd Class Caleb DeGard (USCG) and his wife, Kim, along with Hannah DeGard Hageman and her husband, Craig, and John’s sister Ruth Gilman .

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Good Shepherd Hospice, 320 W. Main St., Lakeland, FL 33815 or The First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland.

Funeral service is Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. at Heath Funeral Chapel, 328 S. Ingraham Ave., Lakeland, Fla., with visitation one hour prior to the service.