Mr. Woodrow "Woody" Gilbert

Woodrow “Woody� Wendell Gilbert, 95, born April 24, 1915 in Dade City , Florida to Wendell Vernon and Pearl Ida Gilbert, died peacefully in Tampa on January 9, 2011 under the gentle care of Hospice. He graduated from Norman Park College in Moultrie , Georgia and also attended Stetson University in Deland , Florida . After joining the Air Corps in 1942, he enrolled in Flight School at Kelly Field in San Antonio , TX , and then graduated from Officer’s Candidate School at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery , AL . He served WWII (1941-1945) in the Pacific Theatre piloting B-17’s, B-24’s and B-29’s earning several medals for bombing missions AND the safe return of his aircraft and crew. After the war, he piloted various aircrafts for USAF Air Rescue in the Pacific and Arctic territories. Fearless in the cockpit and with staunch reserve, his missions yielded numerous successes in extreme negative temperatures with no heaters and little fuel. Once such rescue was documented in the book RESCUE BELOW ZERO by Ian Mackersey where a British Hastings delivering supplies to the British North Greenland Expedition crashed in a white out on the ice cap. Woody continued to serve in the USAF flying all over the world and traversing the United States with his family until his retirement. Upon retirement at MacDill AFB, he was employed as the maitre’d at Lee’s Riverboat on the Hillsborough River and later Bern ’s Steakhouse on Howard Avenue . In 1972, Woody opened a small “take-out only� restaurant on El Prado and South Dale Mabry selling one product, the famous Greek Salad. Many Greek Salads later, he moved the operation to its current location on South Dale Mabry. Woody was predeceased by his wife, Kathryn O’Reilly Gilbert, parents Wendell and Pearl Gilbert, grandmother Ella Hawkins, aunt Ethel Vaughn, brother Lester E. Gilbert, niece Deborah Gilbert, nephew Robert Gilbert and his beloved Boxer, Heidi. Left to cherish his memory are daughters Danielle Gilbert Ward (Scott), Melissa Gilbert Hassan (Khaled); sons David Ashley Gilbert, Joseph Conrad Gilbert, Jon Fredric Gilbert; grandchildren Adam Ward, Joseph Ward, Adam Hassan, Sean Gilbert, Courtney Gilbert and Carli Gilbert; the mother of his children Wynelle Davis Gilbert; brother Judge John M. Gilbert (Jean) and sister Clarice Mills, cousins, nieces, nephews and hundreds of employees and former employees with whom he loved. Most appreciative thanks to the staff of Hudson Manor ALF, Davis Islands , for their loving care. The Family will receive friends for Visitation at 6pm -8pm on Friday, January 14th at Blount & Curry Funeral Home, 605 S. MacDill Avenue , Tampa ,PH: 813-876-2421. Funeral services celebrating Woody’s life will be begin at 11am on Saturday, January 15th, at Blount & Curry Funeral Home, 605 S MacDill Avenue with Todd Roberts of South Tampa Fellowship Church officiating. A reception will follow the service at the funeral home Woody will be laid to rest in the Gilbert Family Section of the Old Dade City Cemetery at a later date. Memorials may be made to ASPCA.org to support care, shelters and adoptions for abandoned and neglected pets.