Obituary of Kelly Joe Gilbert

Kelly Joe Gilbert of Coweta, OK, age 77, passed away Tuesday, December 3, 2013 at his home in Coweta, OK. Kelly was born on October 27, 1936 in Porter, OK and was the son of Roy Herbert and Lorene (Ketchum) Gilbert. He and Geraldine Renshaw were married on February 6, 1954 in Coweta, OK. Kelly owned and operated Gilbert’s Tree Service for 60 years. He has been an Evangelist since 1965. Kelly enjoyed buying, selling and working on tractors, mowing the yard and he loved spending time with his family. Kelly was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, great-great grandfather, brother and uncle. His great love was to provide and care for his wife and children. Kelly taught and showed his family the true meaning of forgiveness, giving and trying your best to be Christ like. He always took time to pray for you when you called for prayer. Every night after dark Kelly would go outside and pray. At night he sat in his chair reading his Bible and that is how he left us reading his Bible. When Dyana and Bev were babies Kelly had a large milk bill. He was praying and asking God how to pay this bill, and felt led to cut a load of firewood. The person he sold it to ordered more wood. He sold enough wood that day to pay the milk bill. That started him in the firewood business. His children remember wonderful summer trips riding in the camper that he built on the back of the pickup. On the way to Wyoming doing tree work they saw many of God’s beautiful sights. If Kelly got lots of tree jobs, the family would get to vacation as well. The kids learned at a young age to pray for their daddy to get work. They got to see many places such as Yellowstone, Royal Gorge, Mineral Hot Springs and the treat was the Big Horn Mountains. Kelly loved music and playing his guitar. He taught several people how to play the guitar and he encouraged many people with his songs. Kelly is survived by his wife of 59 years, Geraldine Gilbert of the home in Coweta, OK; five children, Dyana Jackson & husband, Doug, of Coweta, OK, Beverly Stach & husband, Gerry (Jug), of Haskell, OK, Curtis Gilbert & wife, Kathy, of Coweta, OK, Michelle Christian & husband, Rick, of Haskell, OK and Angie Gilbert & Chad Dodson of Broken Arrow, OK; three sisters, Estelene Sisney & husband, Hershel, of Coweta, OK, Marion Gilbert of Porter, OK and Verna Chadwell & husband, Lloyd, of Haskell, OK; two brothers, Willie Gilbert & wife, Mildred, of Haskell, OK and Roger Gilbert & wife, Kathy, of Perkins, OK; 16 grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Kelly was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Lorene Gilbert, one brother, LeRoy Gilbert, two sisters, Vaughna Sisney and Norma Mashburn and his grandparents, Bishop Bennie B. Ketchum and wife Ethel. Funeral services for Kelly are scheduled for 10:00 am Monday, December 9, 2013 at Coweta Assembly of God in Coweta, OK with Pastor Steve Lee officiating. Burial will follow at Vernon Cemetery in Coweta, OK. Pallbearers are Darrell Jackson, Nick Jackson, Rodney Stach, Logun McDonald, Kolton Stach, Dakoda Stach, Chance Craig, Marty Childress and Eugene Hargrove. Honorary Pallbearers are Billy Renshaw, Willie Gilbert, Hershel Sisney, Tony Sisney, William Grisham, Elmer Moss, Jr., C.J. Jackson, and Ronald Todd. To leave a personal message to Kelly’s family, please visit his Book of Memories at www.wrightbrownfunerals.com. The family of Kelly J. Gilbert entrusted his care & services to Wright-Brown Family Funeral Home, 210 S. Broadway, Coweta, OK 74429, 918-486-5515.