Gerald Arthur Gilbert, Sr.
May 2, 1953 – May 29, 2012
Beloved father, husband and brother, he started life in Redford Township, Michigan, where he first attended Roosevelt Elementary School, then Pearson Junior High School, and finally Redford Union High School, from whence he graduated in 1971.
Always to be found at a bar or social hangout/gathering place in his leisure hours, he actually got pretty good at pinball. For many years, he and his best friend, Donny, played against others at the bar and usually not only drank the night for free but had a table full of beers. Although he enjoyed playing pinball, he liked to cheat at it by putting ashtrays under the front legs of the game, which would keep the ball in-play longer (only if you knew that this would help; for the rest, it threw off all timing).
While his personal philosophy was "Hard work never killed anyone - but why take the chance?", he was, by far, an industrious man.
A master automobile mechanic by trade, he operated, managed (and even owned) service stations, where he turned a wrench to make a living, often times coming home covered in grease and oil from the day's repairs; despite his love of working on (and riding) motorcycles, he secretly loved old Mopar muscle cars, and always wanted a Dodge Charger with a Hemi. He even referred to himself as "The G-Ball," in deference to his biker-like black T-Shirt, jeans, boots and rolled-up cigarettes-in-the-left-sleeve "grease-ball" look and demeanor.
He also was a successful industrial equipment salesman (in the plastics industry), electric/electronic control panel wirer, working at several technology firms before returning to his most loved profession at a car dealership, where he was "Mac" (the owner)'s right-hand man (to the chagrin of many, right, Paul?) J
Confirmed Lutheran, he was a self-described Republ-ocrat (one who votes for the best choice!)
His favorite music was by The Beatles or Johnny Cash, or you might find him listening to Classic and Hard Rock, (light) Heavy Metal, or any one of countless Oldies. When not listening to music, he was viewing any number of Science Fiction or Horror films, with Star Wars topping the list. As for television, he was a fan of The Big Bang Theory, Family Guy, CSI and Criminal Minds. Not big on sports, he did follow the Detroit Red Wings (hockey) whenever they played.
Later in life, on Facebook, he described himself as: "[A] stay-at-home dad; [who] smokes like a chimney/drinks like a fish (actually, not that much of either anymore!) [and] looking for friends to hang with." He touched many people, including his dear friends Judy and Roger.
He became involved in repairing/constructing classic ventriloquist dummies, including Charlie McCarthy and Jerry Mahoney dolls. He also loved his grandfather's miniature train set, which he still possessed. In addition, he took wonder in nature and its mystique. Even though he was not really a gambler, he wanted to visit Las Vegas just to say he had.
Sadly, he succumbed to cancer (lung, liver, bone & skin), a disease which took his mother's life, as well as the lives of his maternal grandparents and paternal grandfather.
The first son of Clarice & Charles Jr. who preceded him in passing (1988 & 2006, respectively), he is survived by his son, Gerald, Jr.; daughter, Kathryn; wife, April; brothers Gregory and Charles, III and aunt, Greta (as well as various cousins too numerous to mention – but you know who you are!)
Jerry was cremated, and will be present at his Memorial Service, to be held at Cedarbrook Estates Clubhouse, 323 Le Grand Blvd, White Lake, Michigan 48383-2643, on Saturday, June 30, 2012 from 3pm – 8pm.
May 2, 1953 – May 29, 2012
Beloved father, husband and brother, he started life in Redford Township, Michigan, where he first attended Roosevelt Elementary School, then Pearson Junior High School, and finally Redford Union High School, from whence he graduated in 1971.
Always to be found at a bar or social hangout/gathering place in his leisure hours, he actually got pretty good at pinball. For many years, he and his best friend, Donny, played against others at the bar and usually not only drank the night for free but had a table full of beers. Although he enjoyed playing pinball, he liked to cheat at it by putting ashtrays under the front legs of the game, which would keep the ball in-play longer (only if you knew that this would help; for the rest, it threw off all timing).
While his personal philosophy was "Hard work never killed anyone - but why take the chance?", he was, by far, an industrious man.
A master automobile mechanic by trade, he operated, managed (and even owned) service stations, where he turned a wrench to make a living, often times coming home covered in grease and oil from the day's repairs; despite his love of working on (and riding) motorcycles, he secretly loved old Mopar muscle cars, and always wanted a Dodge Charger with a Hemi. He even referred to himself as "The G-Ball," in deference to his biker-like black T-Shirt, jeans, boots and rolled-up cigarettes-in-the-left-sleeve "grease-ball" look and demeanor.
He also was a successful industrial equipment salesman (in the plastics industry), electric/electronic control panel wirer, working at several technology firms before returning to his most loved profession at a car dealership, where he was "Mac" (the owner)'s right-hand man (to the chagrin of many, right, Paul?) J
Confirmed Lutheran, he was a self-described Republ-ocrat (one who votes for the best choice!)
His favorite music was by The Beatles or Johnny Cash, or you might find him listening to Classic and Hard Rock, (light) Heavy Metal, or any one of countless Oldies. When not listening to music, he was viewing any number of Science Fiction or Horror films, with Star Wars topping the list. As for television, he was a fan of The Big Bang Theory, Family Guy, CSI and Criminal Minds. Not big on sports, he did follow the Detroit Red Wings (hockey) whenever they played.
Later in life, on Facebook, he described himself as: "[A] stay-at-home dad; [who] smokes like a chimney/drinks like a fish (actually, not that much of either anymore!) [and] looking for friends to hang with." He touched many people, including his dear friends Judy and Roger.
He became involved in repairing/constructing classic ventriloquist dummies, including Charlie McCarthy and Jerry Mahoney dolls. He also loved his grandfather's miniature train set, which he still possessed. In addition, he took wonder in nature and its mystique. Even though he was not really a gambler, he wanted to visit Las Vegas just to say he had.
Sadly, he succumbed to cancer (lung, liver, bone & skin), a disease which took his mother's life, as well as the lives of his maternal grandparents and paternal grandfather.
The first son of Clarice & Charles Jr. who preceded him in passing (1988 & 2006, respectively), he is survived by his son, Gerald, Jr.; daughter, Kathryn; wife, April; brothers Gregory and Charles, III and aunt, Greta (as well as various cousins too numerous to mention – but you know who you are!)
Jerry was cremated, and will be present at his Memorial Service, to be held at Cedarbrook Estates Clubhouse, 323 Le Grand Blvd, White Lake, Michigan 48383-2643, on Saturday, June 30, 2012 from 3pm – 8pm.
Gerald Arthur Gilbert, Sr.
May 2, 1953 – May 29, 2012
Beloved father, husband and brother, he started life in Redford Township, Michigan, where he first attended Roosevelt Elementary School, then Pearson Junior High School, and finally Redford Union High School, from whence he graduated in 1971.
Always to be found at a bar or social hangout/gathering place in his leisure hours, he actually got pretty good at pinball. For many years, he and his best friend, Donny, played against others at the bar and usually not only drank the night for free but had a table full of beers. Although he enjoyed playing pinball, he liked to cheat at it by putting ashtrays under the front legs of the game, which would keep the ball in-play longer (only if you knew that this would help; for the rest, it threw off all timing).
While his personal philosophy was "Hard work never killed anyone - but why take the chance?", he was, by far, an industrious man.
A master automobile mechanic by trade, he operated, managed (and even owned) service stations, where he turned a wrench to make a living, often times coming home covered in grease and oil from the day's repairs; despite his love of working on (and riding) motorcycles, he secretly loved old Mopar muscle cars, and always wanted a Dodge Charger with a Hemi. He even referred to himself as "The G-Ball," in deference to his biker-like black T-Shirt, jeans, boots and rolled-up cigarettes-in-the-left-sleeve "grease-ball" look and demeanor.
He also was a successful industrial equipment salesman (in the plastics industry), electric/electronic control panel wirer, working at several technology firms before returning to his most loved profession at a car dealership, where he was "Mac" (the owner)'s right-hand man (to the chagrin of many, right, Paul?) J
Confirmed Lutheran, he was a self-described Republ-ocrat (one who votes for the best choice!)
His favorite music was by The Beatles or Johnny Cash, or you might find him listening to Classic and Hard Rock, (light) Heavy Metal, or any one of countless Oldies. When not listening to music, he was viewing any number of Science Fiction or Horror films, with Star Wars topping the list. As for television, he was a fan of The Big Bang Theory, Family Guy, CSI and Criminal Minds. Not big on sports, he did follow the Detroit Red Wings (hockey) whenever they played.
Later in life, on Facebook, he described himself as: "[A] stay-at-home dad; [who] smokes like a chimney/drinks like a fish (actually, not that much of either anymore!) [and] looking for friends to hang with." He touched many people, including his dear friends Judy and Roger.
He became involved in repairing/constructing classic ventriloquist dummies, including Charlie McCarthy and Jerry Mahoney dolls. He also loved his grandfather's miniature train set, which he still possessed. In addition, he took wonder in nature and its mystique. Even though he was not really a gambler, he wanted to visit Las Vegas just to say he had.
Sadly, he succumbed to cancer (lung, liver, bone & skin), a disease which took his mother's life, as well as the lives of his maternal grandparents and paternal grandfather.
The first son of Clarice & Charles Jr. who preceded him in passing (1988 & 2006, respectively), he is survived by his son, Gerald, Jr.; daughter, Kathryn; wife, April; brothers Gregory and Charles, III and aunt, Greta (as well as various cousins too numerous to mention – but you know who you are!)
Jerry was cremated, and will be present at his Memorial Service, to be held at Cedarbrook Estates Clubhouse, 323 Le Grand Blvd, White Lake, Michigan 48383-2643, on Saturday, June 30, 2012 from 3pm – 8pm.
May 2, 1953 – May 29, 2012
Beloved father, husband and brother, he started life in Redford Township, Michigan, where he first attended Roosevelt Elementary School, then Pearson Junior High School, and finally Redford Union High School, from whence he graduated in 1971.
Always to be found at a bar or social hangout/gathering place in his leisure hours, he actually got pretty good at pinball. For many years, he and his best friend, Donny, played against others at the bar and usually not only drank the night for free but had a table full of beers. Although he enjoyed playing pinball, he liked to cheat at it by putting ashtrays under the front legs of the game, which would keep the ball in-play longer (only if you knew that this would help; for the rest, it threw off all timing).
While his personal philosophy was "Hard work never killed anyone - but why take the chance?", he was, by far, an industrious man.
A master automobile mechanic by trade, he operated, managed (and even owned) service stations, where he turned a wrench to make a living, often times coming home covered in grease and oil from the day's repairs; despite his love of working on (and riding) motorcycles, he secretly loved old Mopar muscle cars, and always wanted a Dodge Charger with a Hemi. He even referred to himself as "The G-Ball," in deference to his biker-like black T-Shirt, jeans, boots and rolled-up cigarettes-in-the-left-sleeve "grease-ball" look and demeanor.
He also was a successful industrial equipment salesman (in the plastics industry), electric/electronic control panel wirer, working at several technology firms before returning to his most loved profession at a car dealership, where he was "Mac" (the owner)'s right-hand man (to the chagrin of many, right, Paul?) J
Confirmed Lutheran, he was a self-described Republ-ocrat (one who votes for the best choice!)
His favorite music was by The Beatles or Johnny Cash, or you might find him listening to Classic and Hard Rock, (light) Heavy Metal, or any one of countless Oldies. When not listening to music, he was viewing any number of Science Fiction or Horror films, with Star Wars topping the list. As for television, he was a fan of The Big Bang Theory, Family Guy, CSI and Criminal Minds. Not big on sports, he did follow the Detroit Red Wings (hockey) whenever they played.
Later in life, on Facebook, he described himself as: "[A] stay-at-home dad; [who] smokes like a chimney/drinks like a fish (actually, not that much of either anymore!) [and] looking for friends to hang with." He touched many people, including his dear friends Judy and Roger.
He became involved in repairing/constructing classic ventriloquist dummies, including Charlie McCarthy and Jerry Mahoney dolls. He also loved his grandfather's miniature train set, which he still possessed. In addition, he took wonder in nature and its mystique. Even though he was not really a gambler, he wanted to visit Las Vegas just to say he had.
Sadly, he succumbed to cancer (lung, liver, bone & skin), a disease which took his mother's life, as well as the lives of his maternal grandparents and paternal grandfather.
The first son of Clarice & Charles Jr. who preceded him in passing (1988 & 2006, respectively), he is survived by his son, Gerald, Jr.; daughter, Kathryn; wife, April; brothers Gregory and Charles, III and aunt, Greta (as well as various cousins too numerous to mention – but you know who you are!)
Jerry was cremated, and will be present at his Memorial Service, to be held at Cedarbrook Estates Clubhouse, 323 Le Grand Blvd, White Lake, Michigan 48383-2643, on Saturday, June 30, 2012 from 3pm – 8pm.
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