Richard Donelle Gilbert

GILBERT — Richard Donelle, 84; born April 15, 1934, Eugene, Ore.; died Sept. 5, 2018, Eugene. Surviving: wife, Nancy (Brillin); son and daughter-in-law, Don and Danette Gilbert, Eugene; daughters and sons-in-law, Stephanie and Zane Kesey, Pleasant Hill, Ore.; Gretchen and Ricky Virk, Bend, Ore.; Kristin and Mark Wall, Eugene; stepson, Andy Keefe, Bend; stepdaughter and stepson-in-law, Wendy and Chad Zacharias, Eugene; 11 grandchildren, Justin, Amy, Ivan, Caleb, Alec, Alyssa, Madisen, Conor, Sarah, Rosemary, Claire; and 2 great-grandchildren, Grace and Faith.

Richard was born into a Seventh-day Adventist home and attended Adventist Schools. Richard "Dick" Gilbert grew up learning to be a carpenter and working in construction with his father and older brothers at Arthur M. Gilbert & Sons Construction.

He proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1957–1959 with the White Coats at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C. Dick Gilbert had a successful 45 year career in real estate and investment in the Eugene/Springfield, Ore., area, his beloved home town.

Richard's family donated the land for what is now Emerald Christian Academy in Pleaseant Hill, Ore., and gave a major portion of the building funding as well as work done of the buildings.