Gary Alan Gilbert

Gary Alan Gilbert (1945 - 2023) Gary Alan Gilbert, age 77, of Kansas City, Missouri, went to be with the Lord he dearly loved Thursday, April 27, 2023, due to an accident that tragically also took the life of his wife of 53 years Kathy (Auger) Gilbert. A “celebration of life” memorial time will be held on Saturday, June 17, 2023, at 10:30am at the meeting hall of The Church in Kansas City – 4751 N Holmes St, North Kansas City, Missouri 64116. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the family for final expenses. Gary was born May 28, 1945, to the late George Robert Gilbert, and Thelma Lucille Case. In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by his brothers Bobby Gilbert, and Jerry Gilbert. Gary was born and raised in Hobbs, New Mexico, with his two older brothers Bobby, Jerry, and his fraternal twin sister, Mary Kaye. His father was an oil rig builder and truck driver. As a young man, he excelled in tennis. In 1963, he attended Wayland Baptist College in Plainview, TX and then in 1967 transferred to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX where he met Kathy. They met through a Christian campus ministry and knew very quickly that they were going to be married. In less than a year they were married in Lubbock, TX on June 28, 1969, and so began their lives together. Gary was a founding migrating member of the Churches in Lubbock, Houston and Austin, Texas. He was initially on course to get a degree in Elementary Education, but quickly realized that he needed to make a living to support his growing family, so he never finished his undergraduate degree, although being only a few academic hours short. Gary started working in construction while in Lubbock framing houses and soon thereafter began raising their children in Houston and Austin, Texas and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He transitioned into setting tile in 1983 and grew a very successful tile business that eventually led he and Kathy to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1986 where he continued his tile business for another 15 years until his body could not withstand the trials of construction work any longer. Over the next few years, he took time to rekindle his love of learning and took many classes at Maple Woods Community College in what he loved learning the most about - History. Gary loved connecting with college students and spreading his love of God to anyone that would lend an ear. Gary worked for Senior Helpers for a short time, and eventually finished off his work life at Home Depot where he gave a helping hand wherever it was needed in the Garden section taking care of plants in the spring and summer. From the beginning of his young life he always had a desire to seek and know God fully. He was diligent in attending the prayer meetings of the church on Wednesday nights, Friday evening church meetings where they regularly hosted bible studies for up to 50 people at their home and always the Sunday morning church meetings. There was nothing he loved more than God and his motto was always, “God first”. His dedication to spreading the word of God was second to none. Gary tried to live his human life as best he could, being a true believer in the Triune God and many can testify that his faith was unwavering until his final breath. Gary is survived by a son Timothy Gilbert, and his wife Katie, of Highland Village, TX; daughters Elizabeth Byers, and her husband Richard, of Kansas City, Missouri, Kim Prier and her husband Justin, of Leawood, Kansas, and Ginny Hill and her husband Jason, currently of College Station, Texas; eight grandchildren Jackson Byers, Adeline Prier, Annabelle Prier, Allie Gilbert, Abby Gilbert, Ruth Hill, Aletheia Hill, and Zoë Hill; a fraternal twin sister Mary Kaye Green, of Joshua, Texas; and several nephews and nieces. According to a pre-arrangement, Reflections Memorial Service is assisting the family with the cremation. Burial will be at Platte City Cemetery at a later date in a private ceremony, if you would like to make donations to the family please use venmo @GaryKathyMemorial

Gary Alan Gilbert

May 28, 1945 - April 27, 2023