Ski trips out west are a bonding experience for father and son, John (left) and Jack Gillis.
By Tom Kirvan
Legal News
When it comes to leisure time pursuits, Judge Jack Gillis is a man for all seasons.
In the warm weather months, he can be found on his sailboat – Sundance – a 40-foot sloop that he co-owns with his lifelong friend Dick Hathaway, a former Wayne County Circuit Court judge who now is the Chief Assistant at the County Prosecutor’s Office.
In the fall, when football holds a steely grip on fans across the nation, Gillis spends his Saturdays following his beloved Michigan State Spartans as a loyal season ticket holder since 1970.
During the winter and early spring months, Gillis gets his outdoor fix on assorted ski slopes in northern Michigan and out west, including the high-altitude terrain in Colorado, Utah, and Montana.
Of those three recreational passions, Gillis said he would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite, admitting with a smile that it “just depends upon the season.”
His love for sailing began when he was a teen growing up in Grosse Pointe Shores, the lakeside community that hugs Lake St. Clair. In 1981, three years after he was sworn in as a lawyer, he and a high school friend bought a 27-foot sailboat that served as a stepping-stone to the 40-footer that Gillis and Hathaway purchased in 1990.
While he derives a special joy out of “pleasure sailing” with family and friends on weekends, Gillis also has carved an impressive record as a competitive sailor, including when he guided Sundance to the overall title in the Bayview Mackinac Race in 1995.
“It was a real thrill to win the overall title that year,” Gillis said of navigating the Shore course that covers 204 nautical miles. “I’ve competed in the race many times and you never know what you’re going to get in terms of winds and weather. This year, we didn’t finish because the weather was so brutal. About half the boats that started didn’t finish because of the severe storms, high winds, and rough waves.”
While his daughter, Michele, an executive with Blue Cross who holds an MBA from University of Michigan-Flint, relishes her time on the sailboat, his wife is more inclined to attend games at Spartan Stadium where Gillis his ridden the highs and lows of MSU football over the past 60 years.
“I was there in 1966 for the famous ‘Game of the Century’ between State and Notre Dame,” Gillis recalled of the 10-10 tie that has been widely dissected for decades. “I also was there (in 2010) for the dramatic overtime victory over Notre Dame when we faked a field goal and threw a pass for the game-winning touchdown.”
Gillis and his wife – who were married on September 11, 1982 – also were in attendance for the 2014 Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, when the Spartans beat Stanford 24-20 to cap a memorable 12-1 season.
“There’s nothing quite like attending a game at the Rose Bowl. The setting is spectacular,” said Gillis, who keeps a souvenir ticket in his office as a fond reminder.
Once the 2026 MSU football season is in the rearview mirror, Gillis will turn his attention to skiing, a sport that he has enjoyed since he was a lad.
“I began skiing at the age of 5 on a ski ‘hill’ in Grosse Pointe Shores,” Gillis said of the man-made incline that was molded from dirt and other fill from a nearby I-94 road project. “Before long, I began skiing at places up north, like the Thomas resort at Walloon Lake and Boyne Mountain. If my memory is right, I think I’ve skied at 84 different places over the years.”
Next March, Gillis and his son will head to Big Sky, a Boyne resort in southwestern Montana near Yellowstone Park.
“It has a big vertical drop (4,350 feet) and is known for its beauty and snow conditions,” said Gillis, who once enjoyed the adventure of heli-skiing but now prefers a more conventional way down the slopes. “At my age, I’m more of a blue-run type of guy. It’s a much safer way to go.”
Legal News
When it comes to leisure time pursuits, Judge Jack Gillis is a man for all seasons.
In the warm weather months, he can be found on his sailboat – Sundance – a 40-foot sloop that he co-owns with his lifelong friend Dick Hathaway, a former Wayne County Circuit Court judge who now is the Chief Assistant at the County Prosecutor’s Office.
In the fall, when football holds a steely grip on fans across the nation, Gillis spends his Saturdays following his beloved Michigan State Spartans as a loyal season ticket holder since 1970.
During the winter and early spring months, Gillis gets his outdoor fix on assorted ski slopes in northern Michigan and out west, including the high-altitude terrain in Colorado, Utah, and Montana.
Of those three recreational passions, Gillis said he would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite, admitting with a smile that it “just depends upon the season.”
His love for sailing began when he was a teen growing up in Grosse Pointe Shores, the lakeside community that hugs Lake St. Clair. In 1981, three years after he was sworn in as a lawyer, he and a high school friend bought a 27-foot sailboat that served as a stepping-stone to the 40-footer that Gillis and Hathaway purchased in 1990.
While he derives a special joy out of “pleasure sailing” with family and friends on weekends, Gillis also has carved an impressive record as a competitive sailor, including when he guided Sundance to the overall title in the Bayview Mackinac Race in 1995.
“It was a real thrill to win the overall title that year,” Gillis said of navigating the Shore course that covers 204 nautical miles. “I’ve competed in the race many times and you never know what you’re going to get in terms of winds and weather. This year, we didn’t finish because the weather was so brutal. About half the boats that started didn’t finish because of the severe storms, high winds, and rough waves.”
While his daughter, Michele, an executive with Blue Cross who holds an MBA from University of Michigan-Flint, relishes her time on the sailboat, his wife is more inclined to attend games at Spartan Stadium where Gillis his ridden the highs and lows of MSU football over the past 60 years.
“I was there in 1966 for the famous ‘Game of the Century’ between State and Notre Dame,” Gillis recalled of the 10-10 tie that has been widely dissected for decades. “I also was there (in 2010) for the dramatic overtime victory over Notre Dame when we faked a field goal and threw a pass for the game-winning touchdown.”
Gillis and his wife – who were married on September 11, 1982 – also were in attendance for the 2014 Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, when the Spartans beat Stanford 24-20 to cap a memorable 12-1 season.
“There’s nothing quite like attending a game at the Rose Bowl. The setting is spectacular,” said Gillis, who keeps a souvenir ticket in his office as a fond reminder.
Once the 2026 MSU football season is in the rearview mirror, Gillis will turn his attention to skiing, a sport that he has enjoyed since he was a lad.
“I began skiing at the age of 5 on a ski ‘hill’ in Grosse Pointe Shores,” Gillis said of the man-made incline that was molded from dirt and other fill from a nearby I-94 road project. “Before long, I began skiing at places up north, like the Thomas resort at Walloon Lake and Boyne Mountain. If my memory is right, I think I’ve skied at 84 different places over the years.”
Next March, Gillis and his son will head to Big Sky, a Boyne resort in southwestern Montana near Yellowstone Park.
“It has a big vertical drop (4,350 feet) and is known for its beauty and snow conditions,” said Gillis, who once enjoyed the adventure of heli-skiing but now prefers a more conventional way down the slopes. “At my age, I’m more of a blue-run type of guy. It’s a much safer way to go.”
The 40-foot Sundance is the sailing pride and joy of Judge Jack Gillis, pictured at the helm of boat as it heads to the starting line of the annual Bayview Mackinac Race.
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