CADILLAC — Russell David Gilbert of Cadillac passed away Thursday, July 30, 2020 at Spectrum Health Butterworth in Grand Rapids. He was 75. Russ was born on November 16, 1944 in Ludington.

He graduated from Ludington High School in 1963 and soon after went on to serve in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. After returning from the war he went to Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma for two years. He then moved back to Manistee and started his working career at Eberhard's Grocery where he was employed for over 20 years until they closed. He also owned & operated his own heating & cooling company "Gilbert's Refrigeration.' He later took a position with MICHCON (DTE) in Ludington and after a promotion he moved to Cadillac in 2000 and retired from there after 15 years.

Russ attended First Baptist Church in Cadillac where he volunteered in many aspects of the church. He was a kind and generous man that loved helping people. He enjoyed being foster parents for many years, boating, camping, hunting, fishing, but most of all spending time with his children and grandchildren.

On June 18, 1966 in Scottville he married the former Carla Mae Sanders and she survives him along with their children: Pamela (Jeffrey) Wright of Manistee, Dawn (Jeffrey) Sinsko of Nokomis, Florida, Dewey Gilbert (Ashley Setzer) of Bear Lake, Heather (Michael) Baxter of Manton, and Larry Gilbert of Manistee; 10 grandchildren: Alivia Grover, Alaina, Amelia and Matthew Baxter, Kendahl and Jarod Wright, Arian Gilbert, Lydia DeLeeuw, and London and Jasper O'Neil; a brother, Chester (Carole) Gilbert of Freesoil and a sister, Verna Tyndall of Flat Rock; many nieces and nephews. Russ was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin E. Gilbert and Laverna J. (Crawford) Gilbert Horowski, and a sister, Nola Ohman and a brother-in-law, Byron Tyndall.

Memorial services will be held 11 a.m. Monday, August 10, 2020 at First Baptist Church in Cadillac with Pastor Chad Zaucha officiating. Friends may meet the family from 10 a.m. until services at church. Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Cadillac.