Michael Dwayne Gill was born in Mineral Wells, Texas on September 26, 1969 to Truman and Carol Gill and graduated from Millsap High School in 1988.  He accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior while attending a Dawson McAlister youth conference in Dallas at around age 16.  Michael began a long career in law enforcement as a detention officer working for Concept, Inc. pre-parole facility, Denton County Sheriff’s Department and Palo Pinto County Sheriff’s Department.  Michael was also a paramedic and in paramedic school is where he met the love of his life Tanya. They were married 27 years and had two children, Roman and Charis. Together with Tanya, they hosted four additional at-risk children to answer the call of the Lord on their lives.  Michael was active in all the churches where they lived serving as a youth leader, usher, greeter, member of the baptism team, and retreat host. His final place of employment was Lockheed Martin where he worked as a security officer. In October 2006, he was diagnosed with stage 3 brain cancer and lived to defeat all the odds of a very limited prognosis.  The Lord healed Michael multiple times over the twelve year journey.  The Lord worked Michael’s greatest miracle when He called Michael home to heaven.   His inspirational story was shared near and far reaching many with the hope of his Lord and the peace that the Lord so graciously blessed him with.   Michael was a wonderful father, son and brother, an excellent husband, a faithful servant to his Lord, a respected coworker, devout Christian and good friend.  He was a gentle giant with a golden heart full of grace and mercy.  He never had a bad word to say about anyone, leaving a legacy of goodness his family was so proud of.  He was a hard-working provider for his family, often working double shifts when times were hard. He loved to fish, boat, camp, read, write and make memories with his family and he loved music.  To know Michael was to know love.  It's what he did best.  He loved those God gave him and he loved his God.

Michael leaves behind his wife of 27 years Tanya, his son Roman and daughter Charis; his mother Carol, brother Barry and wife Laura Denise, brother Craig, mother and father in law Bob and Sherri Byrd, numerous aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and cousins; and bonus babies Joshuah, Ariella, Sylvia and Zariyah.  He joins his grandparents, father, sister Kimberly, brother in law Todd and two friends Lonnie and Kim in heaven as well as a host of other relatives.

Although our hearts are broken and his homegoing too soon, our trust and faith in Jesus will continue to carry us in the days ahead.  Our God is a great God and today we rejoice in knowing Michael is with Him.