Jack White has shared the news that his “beautiful” brother, Edward, died on the weekend.
The White Stripes frontman posted a heartfelt tribute on social media, telling fans his brother Edward “Eddie” Gillis had died, leaving behind a wife and two children.
“The world lost a beautiful soul today,” Jack, 51, wrote in a caption accompanying a photo of his late brother playing an electric guitar, posted on Saturday 24 October. “My brother Edward Gerard Gillis has passed over to heaven this morning after having fought a tough battle against cancer.”
Jack, whose real name is John Anthony Gillis, is the youngest of 10 children and took pains to describe the impact of losing his brother.
“Ed was such a caring, funny and generous person that everybody loved,” Jack reflected. “He was a proud husband to Angie and the father of 2 beautiful children Amelia and Garrett. He truly would have many of us laughing and falling out of our chairs at times.”
While Eddie ran the boutique vinyl-record press Third Man Pressing in the decade leading up to his death, he was also an “acclaimed” pastry chef, Jack shared.
“He did so much while he was on this planet,” Jack wrote, adding that it was Eddie who had grown up with a reputation for musicality in their family.
“In his youth Eddie was the guitar player in the family when we were all growing up back when I was on drums only, and he was just great at the instrument,” he recalled. “I was lucky to play music together with him at times throughout our lives.”
Concluding with an emotional recollection of some of the things his “big brother” had taught him over the years, Jack farewelled Eddie with a blessing.
“He taught me so many wonderful and simple things over the years that I’ll never forget; how to string a guitar, how to fish on the Detroit river, how to drive a stick shift,” Jack wrote. “He was an amazing big brother to me and i just hate to see him leave, but I’m glad he is at peace. God bless you Eddie.”
