Artis Gillam

YOUNGSTOWN — Artis Gillam Sr., who died Sunday, served as 1st Ward councilman from 2000 to 2008, but his service to the community went much deeper and farther than that, his pastor said Monday.

Gillam, 78, was president and CEO of Artis’s Tender Loving Care, which opened a residential group home off McGuffey Road in 2016. Another group home followed.

“Once they finish here, we want them to realize their worth in life,” Gillam said at an announcement for the first facility.

Gillam’s pastor, the Rev. Dr. William C. King Jr. of Price Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church on Dryden Avenue, said group homes were an effort to “give young women a second chance to do more than the system says that they can. He made that happen for a lot of young women.”

Gillam also was president of the Northeast Homeowner’s Association, which carried out landscaping projects at various locations on the East Side.

“He was always doing something in the community,” his wife, Annie Gillam, said.

“He always was a voice not just on city council. He was a voice for the community,” King said. “He urged me to become very active in the community, and we have done that. We owe a great debt to Mr. Gillam.”

Many people believe Price Memorial is an anchor on the East Side, “and it would not be what it is without Mr. Gillam,” King said.

“Both he and his wife were council members on the East Side. They always had a vision of building up the city itself, bringing business opportunities to the community,” he said.

He noted that one of Gillam’s goals was to bring a grocery store chain to the East Side. It did not happen. “That was a source of distress to Artis,” King said.

Gillam recently bought property across from the former McGuffey Plaza on the East Side and launched Mr. G’s East Side Lube, Tire and Wash there.

Gillam was well respected and was what some would call an “old school guy who believed in the truth and hard work. He was always thinking of what else can we do,” King said.

People who knew Gillam are “in shock and in dismay. He was a pillar. Youngstown will be in mourning because of this transition,” King said.

Gillam “loved this city and traveled worldwide on behalf of Youngstown. He grew up in Youngstown and wanted to see it at its best,” King said.

Youngstown Mayor Jamael “Tito” Brown said Gillam “will truly be missed in this community for his involvement in the community, not just as an elected official but as servant on local boards.

“I will miss his input and his information,” Brown said.

“Another thing I admired about Mr. Gillam was his love for his family. He was a great example of a husband, father and grandfather.”

erunyan@tribtoday.com