Carol Ruth Gilbert

She attended Bethel School and schools in Shawnee and graduated from Shawnee High School in 1956. In following years she attended Oklahoma Baptist University and Neff School of Business in Shawnee and later the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University.

She married M. W. (Bud) Gilbert in 1957. They were married for 59 years and resided in Shawnee throughout that time.

Carol worked as a secretary at Sylvania in Shawnee until its closing. She subsequently worked at the American National Bank (later Arvest) where she started work as a stenographer and was promoted to Executive Vice President in 1982. At the time of her retirement in 1999 she had worked at the bank for more than 37 years.

She was very involved in service work and in the financial support of many charitable organizations. She was a member of the Altrusa Club and served as its president in 1986. In recent years she worked with the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary and with the Loaves and Fishes group of Immanuel Baptist Church which serves a meal at Mission Shawnee each week.

She had a strong Christian faith. She participated in many Bible Study classes and regularly attended Immanuel Baptist Church where she was a member.

Carol was an avid gardener, who worked tirelessly in her yard. She was also a lover of sports, particularly OU sports, and the OKC Thunder.

When not gardening or watching a game, Carol enjoyed spending time with her two granddaughters. They spent many trips exploring Turner Falls, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City over the years. Lots of hours were spent playing games like Scrabble and watching classic movies.

She was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Terry Gilbert, and granddaughter, Kennedy Gilbert, of Tulsa, granddaughter Madison Gilbert of Oklahoma City, and sister, Barbara Shirley, of Shawnee.

Funeral services will be held at Resthaven Funeral Home on December 2 at 11:00 AM with Pastor Scott Schooler of Immanuel Baptist Church officiating. Interment will follow at a later date with only family in attendance. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Loaves and Fishes at Immanuel Baptist Church.