Eugene G. “Gene” Gilbert died on Monday, May 19th at the age of 93 at his home in Clinton. Funeral service will be held 11:30 AM Saturday May 24th at the Pape Funeral Home. Visitation will be held Saturday 9:30 – 11:30 AM at the funeral home. Following the service, cremation rites will be accorded and burial will be held at Oakland Cemetery, Clinton. Online condolences may be left at www.papefh.com.
Gene was born on July 12, 1931 in Clinton, Iowa to Glenn and Esther (Nelson) Gilbert. He graduated from Clinton High School in 1949. Gene was drafted into the US Army in 1951, and completed basic training in California. After training in Japan, he was promoted to Staff Sergeant where he served as a combat medic with LOVE Company, Third Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, in Korea. Gene was very proud of his service to his country. After his discharge, he was employed at E.I. DuPont in Clinton as an electrician.
Gene married Carole Rohr on May 21, 1952 in Santa Maria, California. They would have celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary on Wednesday. Gene loved his dogs, Babe, Sage, and Chase (his favorite), and all his dog park friends, especially his three Dog Park Angels, Diane, Shelley and Pat. Gene was an outdoorsman. As a young man, Gene enjoyed duck hunting and fishing and racing boats on the Mississippi River. He was an avid golfer, woodworker, artist, and even raised tropical fish. He coached his son’s little league baseball team and “happily” attended 50 years of his daughters’ dance recitals. In his 80s he was introduced to Xbox and played fishing games into his 90s. Their neighbors called him “Grandpa”. Gene earned the title of official tooth puller, not just for his own kids but for all the neighborhood children when a wiggly tooth needed to come out. Gene was a loving husband and father and had a great sense of humor. He enjoyed all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Gene is survived by his wife, Carole; sons, Randy (Cindy) Gilbert, David (Joanne) Gilbert, daughters Jennifer (Lon) Young, Sarah (Joe) Raaymakers; 11 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren; a brother, Larry Gilbert; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and brother-in-law, Lynette and Robert Koons. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Prairie Pastures Dog Park or First Congregational Church.