Funeral for MSG (Retired) James E. Gilliam, 97, Lawton will be at 10:00 AM Saturday at Arena Cowboy Church, north of Lawton with Rev. J.O. Howard officiating. Sgt Gilliam died Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at his home. Burial with full military honors and Masonic Rites will be at Paradise Valley Cemetery, north of Lawton under the direction of Becker Funeral Home & Cremation Service. He was born February 17, 1915 in Paris, Texas to Dick Absalom and Flora Adelia (Miller) Gilliam. He married R. Irene Hood on April 19, 1946 in Duncan. She died October 13, 1999. Sgt Gilliam served in the Army during World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War and was stationed in Ansbach, Germany with the Lacrosse Missile Unit. He retired from the Army after thirty years of service and later retired from Civil Service. He was a member of Arena Cowboy Church and the American Legion. He was a Mason and a member of Lawton Lodge #183. Survivors include a son, Bill Gilliam, of the home, daughter, Ivalou Zimmerman and her husband Allen, Lawton, grandchildren, Charles Cole, Clay Cole and his wife Chante, Diane Cole, Aundrea Cole-Grooms, Rhonda Byrd and her husband Cecil, David Gilliam and Billy Gilliam and his wife Melissa, great grandchildren, Chaunte James and her husband William, Gabrielle Vann, Dale Cole-Maney, Joshua Cain Grooms, Heather, Justin, Zackery and Tandace, great great grandchildren, Tanaira Jones, DaShea Cole-Jones, Zjaivon Washington, Corrionna Washington and Trinity Vann-Weston, Kaylynn and Dillan. He is also survived by two brothers, Lloyd Gilliam and Billy Jack Gilliam, both of Antlers, Oklahoma, sister, Benny Evelyn Black, Texas and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, two brothers, D.A. Gilliam and Benjamin Gilliam and a sister, Austine.