GILBERT, Donald Roy 1930 - 2017

GILBERT

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 12/7/2017 at 12:07:06

Donald Roy Gilbert, 87, of Mason City, died Wednesday, May 31, 2017 at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa.

Memorial services will be held 1:30 PM, Monday, June 19, 2017 in the WAYside Chapel, First United Methodist Church, 119 S. Georgia with Rev. Kathleen R. Moore officiating.

There will be no visitation.

Inurnment will take place in Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends helped to provide for his funeral and resting place for his ashes.

Memorials may be directed to the First United Methodist Church.

Donald Roy Gilbert was born March 28, 1930 in Mason City, IA. Don Attended Mason City schools, and in spite of a reading dysfunction, he went on to junior college in Mason City and then attended college at Simpson College in Indianola, graduating in 1953. He then attended Garrett Biblical Institute (presently Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary) from 1953 to 1954.

He was united in marriage to Georgiana, and they had three daughters.

Don was appointed to the Methodist Church in Melbourne, Iowa in 1954, and though he never had any other appointments, he always considered himself a retired Methodist pastor.

In addition, Don worked as a laborer at many jobs, including as church custodian in Des Moines and Texas. He also worked at Snell's ambulance and gas station as a youngster. He was a night watchman, groundskeeper and had a lawn-moving service at one time. He worked at the cement plant alongside his father. He was proud of the fact his father was also a part-time pastor. He was also proud that his grandfather had been a church custodian at the Old Stone Church downtown 100 years ago.

Don most strongly identified as a pastor. He had a curious mind and collected tons of books, almost all of them religious, and some of them very scholarly. In spite of his reading disability he read them all and made notes in them. He loved to tell stories about his parents and grandparents, about Mason City past.

Don was dedicated to his church, giving sacrificially to support it, attending regularly and as a valued member for several years of his Disciple group.