Hugh GillisHugh Marion Gillis was an American politician.Early life and educationBorn in Soperton, Georgia, Gillis was a farmer and timber grower. He graduated from Soperton High School and then from University of Georgia with a degree in agriculture in 1939.Political careerGillis served as a Democrat in the Georgia House of Representatives for twelve years and then the Georgia State Senate from 1962 to 2004 before retiring; when he retired, Gillis was the longest-serving member of the Georgia General Assembly. He died in Vidalia, Georgia on January 1, 2013.