Thomas Cresap Gilbert

1950 - 2025

Thomas Cresap "Cres" Gilbert

April 27, 1950 - February 12, 2025

Sacramento, California - It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Cres Gilbert 74 on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at his home with wife and family by his side.

Cres was born April 27, 1950 in Berkeley, California. The 4th and youngest child of John Baptiste Gilbert III and Lavinia Cresap. Raised in Orinda he graduated from Miramonte High School in 1968. Cres entered Cal, Berkeley in 1968 but his studies were disrupted by the People's Park protests the following spring. A hiatus followed; marriage to his high school sweetheart, Peggy Bradley; the birth of his son, Carson; and a divorce. During those years Cres worked many jobs - for a lumber company, for the Forest service, in the rice fields of Sacramento, at the Berry Creek Boys Ranch as a counselor, and singing and playing guitar in various bands.

Cres finished college at Chico State. He was a math teacher and union negotiator at Woodland High School. His students voted him most popular teacher and nicknamed him G Money.

In 1990 he met the love of his life Natalie Corinne Thiele daughter of Robert Thiele and Helen Ellis. On August 6, 1994 they married in the garden of their home on Montgomery Way in Sacramento.

After retirement Cres had time to enjoy his many pleasures - golf, gardening, remodeling their home, the SF Giants, the Sacramento Kings, helping Natalie with her home staging business, spending time at their retreat, the Tin Can Trailer Camp on the Cosumnes River, and playing guitar with his musical partner, Nick Larson. For over 50 years they performed around Northern California under various band names.

After Cres's diagnosis with Parkinson's in 2016, he and Natalie moved to Swallow's Nest in a smaller home near the river.

He loved to explore California. Every Saturday morning he and Natalie would choose a town within two hours of Sacramento, drive, dine, view the town, then head home.

He boxed. Each Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday Cres boxed under the moniker, "Creatch." He worked out with and became family with Parkinson's group, Hope in Your Corner, Rock Steady Boxing in Sacramento.

Cres, Nick, and a neighbor, started jamming every Sunday afternoon. Music was with him to the end.

A gathering in his honor will be held April 27th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Swallows Nest Country Club, 2245 Orchard Lane, Sacramento, California 95833.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to PANC, the local Parkinson Association of Northern California, 1024 Iron Point Road, #1046 Folsom, CA 95630.