Kimberly Ann Gillis

Kimberly Ann (Bouknight) Gillis, Lovingly known to all as Kim, was born on February 11, 1960, in Passaic, New Jersey, to the late Eddie Lee and Ora Mae Bouknight. She passed away on January 21, 2026, surrounded by her loving family.

Kim leaves behind a powerful legacy of strength, fierceness, and determination. She was a strong-willed woman who faced life head-on and never wavered in her devotion to her family. Family-oriented to her core, Kim found her greatest pride and accomplishment in raising her four children—something she often said was both the hardest and most rewarding achievement of her life.

She spent much of her career in food and nutrition services as a manager and was widely known as an amazing cook whose meals brought people together. Her kitchen was a place of comfort, love, and connection.

Kim was preceded in death by her husband, Thurmond Gillis, Sr.; her mother, Ora Mae Bouknight; her father, Eddie Lee Bouknight; and her brothers Dale Bouknight and Maurice Bouknight.

She is survived by her four children: Curtis (Ann) Bouknight of Sunrise, FL; Tasha Dunn of Somerset, NJ; Tanya (Michael) Washington of Somerset, NJ; and Thurmond (Jean) Gillis, Jr. of Belleville, NJ., and two beloved step-children Keith (Carolyn) Gillis of Cape Coral, FL. and Toni (Robert) Crossland of Trenton, NJ. She also leaves behind four cherished grandchildren: William III, Kayla, Cameron, and Thurmond III.

Kim is also survived by her brothers Reginald of Bloomfield, NJ; Duncan of Auburn, NY; and Eddie (Anna) of Elmwood Park, NJ; her sister Tracy (Jeffrey) Webster of Somerset, NJ; and a host of loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Kimberly will be deeply missed and forever remembered for her strength, resilience, sharp sense of humor, unmistakable sarcasm, and the lasting impact she made on everyone who knew her.

Visitation services will be held at Alvarez Funeraria Inc, located at 66 Passaic Ave, Passaic, NJ, on January 28, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. A second visitation will take place at Alvarez Funeraria, situated at 66 Passaic Ave, Passaic, NJ, on January 29, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. The burial will occur at Crest Haven Memorial Park, located at 750 Passaic Avenue, Clifton, NJ, on January 29, 2026, starting at 11:30 AM.