Malinda J. Gilbreath

1930 - 2021

Malinda J 'Linda' Gilbreath
April 10, 1930 - September 2, 2021
San Diego
Creative, enthusiastic, generous, always curious, kind. Just a few descriptions of our dear Malinda Jeannette Gilbreath who passed on September 2, 2021.Linda was born in Akron, OH, on April 10, 1930, to Irl Byron Calvin and Lillian Sigrid (Ericson) Calvin. She received her bachelor's degree from Baldwin Wallace College in Cleveland and continued graduate studies at the Pacific Regional Theological Seminary.No matter where she lived, her heart belonged to Michigan's Upper Peninsula where her family had a summer home until the 1980's. In 2012 the local residents of Hessel, MI, honored her with a thank-you party for all the summers in the 1940s-50s that she spent teaching them, when they were children, how to swim, dive and sail.After she received her bachelor's degree, Linda drove cross-country to California with a sorority sister. One of her first jobs in California was driving a double-clutch school bus in the Berkeley hills! While attending graduate school, she met and married Stuart Gilbreath. Their son, Gordon, was born in 1961 and Linda said that being Gordon's mother was "the greatest thing that ever happened to me." Anyone who knew Linda and Gordon could see their devotion to each other.Like her father, Linda adored music (favorite composer: Rachmaninoff) and opera (favorite opera: Tosca). She learned painting (favorite painter: Turner) from her mother. A born traveler, she visited Europe on her own for six months at the age of 50 on a Eurail pass and drove cross-country and back at 70 in her little red Honda Insight. Her art trip to China and music tour to Russia were highlights. She designed many sets for San Diego theaters and taught set design at the San Diego School for Performing Arts. She was also an active member of the San Diego Watercolor Society and volunteered as a Trail Guide at Mission Trails. At 89, she enrolled in the docent training program at the San Diego Timken Museum. Linda was predeceased by her parents and her brother Tim Calvin (who died on July 10, 2021, at 99) and is survived by her loving son Gordon, son-in-law Chris DeSaulniers, nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren. She is also survived by numerous friends around the world including Lee Murphy, Wanda Singleton and Vini Sozzani. Friends of Bill knew Linda as the "sweet pickle."As a long-time member of St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, Linda's life would have been celebrated there, but in light of the pandemic, her celebration will be held via Zoom on Saturday, September 18, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time. For further information, please contact coatspt@earthlink.net. In lieu of flowers, she would love that donations be made to the Hessel School House at https://www.hesselschoolhouse.net/support or call 906-484-1333.