Robert Gilbert

Fort Wayne - Robert G. Gilbert, age 96, died Thursday, August 5, 2021.

He was born July 8, 1925, in Cecil, Ohio, son of the late John and Edna (Kopp) Gilbert. On July 12, 1947, he married Mary Jane Simpson who preceded him in death on November 26, 2013. He was a B-24 ball turret gunner in the Army Air Corps during WWII, stationed in Italy. He retired in 1981 from the U.S. Post Office after 35 years as the Cecil rural mail carrier. He was a member of the Grace Presbyterian Church of Ft. Wayne, the Ohio Rural Letter Carriers Association and past state officer, American Legion and Kiwanis. He was a former Paulding Exempted Village School board member, and an original Vantage School Board member. He farmed for many years and participated in the Honor Flight for Veterans.

Robert is survived by three children: Dave (Nancy) Gilbert, Dorothy Gilbert and Debra (Dave) Zimmerman, all from Ft. Wayne; grandchildren: John (Jamie) Gilbert, Susan (Jeremy) Foutz, Laura (Matt) Higgins, Allison (Steve) Schneider, and Brian Zimmerman; great-grandchildren: Sarah, Elliott, Evan, Isaac and Aubrey.

He is also preceded in death by a sister, Mary Jane Zielke.

Funeral services will be conducted 11 a.m., Friday, August 13, at Den Herder Funeral Home, Paulding. He will be laid to rest in Rochester Cemetery, Cecil, with military graveside rites accorded by VFW Post 587.

Visitation will be 4-8 p.m., Thursday, August 12, at Den Herder Funeral Home. There will also be visitation on Friday from 10 a.m. until time of services.

Memorial contributions may be made to Visiting Nurses and Hospice of Ft. Wayne.

Friends may share condolences at www.denherderfh.com.