The finest person I ever worked and or served with

Loyalty was a hallmark of Ed.

His more recent efforts come to mind.  When class activities were scheduled,  Ed could always be counted on to participate with his easy personality and wry sense of humor.   At the stage of life that classmates are  making more frequent trips to Arlington National Cemetery,  Ed always made time to attend and provide comfort to the surviving spouses.  Bonds forged over 65 years ago have  remained unbroken. 

Though long retired,  his loyalty to Coast Guard and its  personnel never wavered. When the recent government shut down resulted in Coast Guard personnel not being paid, Ed was instrumental in organizing and collecting funds for hurting active duty personnel   - using his Army Navy Country Club as a collecting point - above and beyond the call of duty!

The  bright light he shined on everyone will be sorely missed.

Semper Paratus!

Our condolences to Linda and family.

Fred Burgess, CAPT USCG (Ret.),
USCGA ‘58
Taffy Burgess

Ed was an inspiration on many levels. From his strategic mind, to his generous time and effort to the Coast Guard Foundation, and referring some top Coast Guard talent to me over the years, i was truly honored to call him a friend. 

Seldom have I met a gentleman golfer such as Ed Gilbert.  I always enjoyed my time around Ed and I will treasure memories of our time together at Army Navy. Best, Mike and Nancy Kiley

I have had more respect and admiration for Ed than most anyone I have ever met, worked with or otherwise associated with. His quiet but confident leadership style and ability to positively influence those about him made him a truly unique leader and friend. I will miss being able to pick up the phone,  place the call and get his take on whatever was on my mind.

Our condolences for your loss.  Ed was a wonderful man and I enjoyed many fun days with him on the golf course.  His calming voice and generosity will be remembered by all.  - Kevin and Tracy

I want to express my sincere and heart-felt sympathy to the entire Gilbert family on the loss of RADM Edward Gilbert.

Much that I can say, others will likely say as well.  Ed was a pillar in the U.S. Maritime Community and recognized abroad.  He demonstrated time and again, at every turn, his passion and desire to make things better for mariners worldwide.  His service to the country goes without saying.  There is no replacement or equivalent to Ed, and he will be missed by so many of his “extended” family of friends and colleagues. 

On a more personal note, I first met Ed in the early 90s, when he contacted me to assist him in preparing for a legal case in California involving a maritime dispute.  My assistance was in the area of navigation, based on GPS data available via certain interface protocols to the vessels in question at that time.  

Since that first interaction, Ed and I became friends.  Over the years we had several discussion about personal matters, including dealing with dementia and Alzheimer’s as he had a family member with that affliction.  I previously had the experience of providing home care to a family member with Alzheimers. Ed expressed interest in my hobby of making maple syrup, and we talked about that many times over the years.  I suspect he had a sweet tooth for maple syrup.

Ed always greeted me and others with a warm and sincere smile, and sometimes a wise remark.  There was always a humorous side to Ed.  I, and so many, will miss him for the person he was, for always being a friend, for being the “GoTo” guy on almost any Maritime subject, and for being the pillar he became in the maritime community.

With my deepest sympathies for your loss,
Lee A Luft


RADM Gilbert was a mentor in recent years and gave so much to RTCM often volunteering for the toughest projects.  The ideas he brought forth and the ease in which he was able to do everything was absolutely inspiring.   Pam and I loved the way he brought so much energy and passion to RTCM and how his presence would light up a meeting whether it was in the same room or over the phone.   We are so thankful and blessed to have learned from him and shared so many experiences these past two years from traveling to London for meetings last summer to him taking the time to give our son his first real golf lessons.   His love and joy for his family was ever present and one we strive to emulate.  We will miss him deeply.  Our hearts go out to the wonderful Gilbert family.  

Very sorry for your loss, Melinda and other Gilberts.

I knew Ed for many years at Army Navy, and he was a true gentleman who  always had a warm greeting and kind word. He will be missed and remembered fondly by his many friends there.

Blessings to the Gilbert family during this difficult time.

The Admiral was there to commission my OCS Class in July of 1989 at RTC Yorktown, and I am forever grateful for his hearty instructions to my class of new Ensigns. May all of you find peace celebrating his life well lived.  Fair winds and following seas  -D. Dyer, CAPT (ret.) USCG. 

RADM Gilbert and I were plank owners when Squadron One was commissioned at the small boats dock on then Government Island circa May 1965. I was a junior petty officer then.  He was a senior lieutenant.  From my vantage point (enlisted admin staff) as we made our way to Vietnam  and took up station at Phu Quoc Island it became clear to me that LT Gilbert had become a quiet confidante of the highly stressed Squadron  commander.  I was too naive to realize I was observing a young officer exhibiting those qualities the Coast Guard looks for in choosing leaders. Through the years I have seen the Admiral once or twice socially.  He was a fine officer and gentleman.   RIP.   Cdr. Robert T. Douville, USCG(Ret.)

Ed has been my mentor since 1981 when I was first assigned to the Coast Guard office of telecommunications management where we both worked.  We both attend the 1983 telecommunications diplomatic conference in Geneva  to establish the next generation maritime distress & safety system.  He led the US delegation to numerous International Maritime Organization  meetings establishing this distress system during the 80s.  

When he made flag after outstanding accomplishments as the Group commander at Tampa, he was never again assigned to a “T” job (computers/electronics/communications), perhaps due to the thinking at the time that the boss need not be a subject matter expert.  Instead he was tasked with reorganizing district engineering and logistics, developing two reorganization plans under what was later named “Gilbert I and Gilbert II”.  
 
His volunteer work for the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) has long been so instrumental that a number of us wanted to override his role in selecting the Chuck Husick award nominee and select him instead, only to learn that his long support of RTCM had already earned him that award.
 
Ed had planned to attend a maritime communications meeting this summer in London before it was postponed, and he reviewed papers we were submitting there .  He was overseeing submissions of RTCM articles to the Marine Electronics Journal and lead RTCM Assembly planning.   

When asking for a favor, he'd jokingly say if you'd ever worked for him you still work for him.  He helped us so much we wanted to help him in return..

I learned long ago to listen to and respect his advice.  It was always well founded and it always paid off.  Listening to him benefitted me as it made people think I was wiser and smarter than I really was.  

I've lost a forty-year mentor, whom I respected and who will be deeply missed.  But he will never forgotten.

As a CG Reserve Captain (USCGA '61) I remembered Ed as a First Classman back in my 4th class year ... steady hand and unusually great listener and communicator even around "Swabs". To my delight, Admiral Ed solicited my participation as a senior member in one of his many strategic undertakings (seems our CG wisely selected him to do a lot of these special projects). While he apparently. selected me because of my mid-life strategic experiences with my civilian employer (I was a corporate futurist for IBM), working with him taught me much greater patience, teamwork and leadership skills that served me VERY well both in my civilian job and in my ongoing Coast Guard career. Ed also agreed to participate in another CG strategic study ... this one of the CG Reserve ("the SPARCS Study") where I was helping with leadership, and he yet again guided all of us with his steady hand and communication skills ... and great team spirit. You will surely be missed, Ed, and our many memories of you will serve as a blessing for so many of us.
Fred Golove
Rear Admiral, USCGR (ret.)
18th Senior Reserve Officer of the USCG

One of the great Coast Guardsmen.  I could recite many good tales of my association with this man.  But for now, I will just say he will be truly missed by anyone who served with him in th Coast Guard.

“That keeps you in the back roads by the rivers of my memory that keeps you ever gentle on my mind.”

He was a gentle giant, the consummate leader, he was my mentor.  It was 1980, in January we lost the Cutter BLACKTHORN at the bridge in Tampa Bay.  He was the Group Commander and I was his Ops Officer.  We threw everything we had in three counties to the rescue.  I never saw him flustered. He kept me focused on the rescue while seeing the bigger picture with the closure of the bay as BLACKTHORN lay broken at the bottom of the main ship channel.  He always kept his people first.  He immediately brought in a Navy SPRINT team to care for survivors, families and command personnel.
We learned a lot from the BLACKTHORN incident and we need to because we were soon faced with another all hands response when the the Sunshine Skyway bridge was struck and collapsed into the channel. He lead us through that tragic event with the same unruffled, unflappable composure and style of his.  But 1980 wasn’t over yet, we had yet to face the magnitude of the Mariel boatlift.  We were more in support on this one. We had to provide cutters and boats and crews while still carrying out our mission in west Florida. Again leading with grace, RADM Gilbert juggled the priorities and carried us over the finish line.  During my tour, RADM Gilbert taught me to play golf.  I could always tell when I hit a bad shot because he would grit his teeth. I was familiar with that face since it usually meant something was a miss. 
 In later years, we saw each other frequently at Headquarters.  He had risen to Flag rank by then. He always had time for a get together.  My last time together with him was at IMSO meetings in London.  IMSO was the International Mobile Satellite Organization.  RADM Gilbert was part of our US delegation. It was great to work with him again albeit for only a week.  He was a great gardener. He planted me, pruned me, and let me flourish.  We will miss him greatly.   

A mentor and friend Admiral Gilbert always had to time to talk with you, offering sage advice with a slice of humor mixed in.  May God bless your family with comfort and peace.
Fred Wilder
CAPT USCG (ret)

For family reasons I submitted my retirement letter at the 20 year mark as a Mustang LT.  I  delivered it to the Chief of Staff and  returned to my office.  About 10 minutes later dcs called to tell me  Admiral Gilbert wanted to see me... now.   I entered the outer office  and the Admiral's Secretary told me to go right in.  I turned the corner to see that he was on the phone with he is  feet on the desk; something I had never seen him do.  He motioned me in and I stood at attention waiting and noticed my letter on his desk.  It was the only thing there other than his feet!  After what seemed like 20 minutes and was probably 1, he hung up, put his feet down, and stared intently at my letter a long time, never telling me to 'relax' or 'at ease' which was the norm. Not a word.  He very cermoneously balled up my letter and threw it hitting me in the chin.  I was dumbfounded.  After a long pause he asked about my family and  if there was anything he  could do for me.  I told him I needed to stay put for a while and take care of family matters.  This was just before christmas.  He told me to go home over the holiday and figure out if  there were a  billet ANYWHERE that would allow me to stay in, and he'd see if he could make it happen.   I was floored, thanked him sincerely, and went back to work.  Over the next week I had conversations with my wife, friends, and  many with myself.  I made my decision and when I went back to give im my answer in early January, had no idea how it would go.  I  told him retirement was  best for us, and will never forget what he said;  "You're a great officer and an asset to the Coast Guard.  I'd have done everything I could to keep you in, but now that I know you made the right decision, I think even more of you.  I wish you  and your family all the best and know you will succeed and thrive".    I'm as certain as I can be that there was no one on the phone in that first meeting.  Thank you, Ed.

Admiral Gilbert was my mentor. I benefited greatly from his wisdom and sage advice. He supported me directly in my future assignments after working for him in Coast Guard Headquarters. I've been going through some of my old documents and found several of his articles, letters, and notes. They are as valuable today as they were when they were written many years ago. He was instrumental in my selection to the Army War College. Our family benefited greatly from that assignment. Karen and I have fond memories and wish Melinda and the rest of his family the very best. You are all in our prayers.

RADM Ed Gilbert was a wonderful colleague and friend for nearly 2 decades. We had many long conversations; there was so much to learn from Ed and his lifetime commitment to excellent leadership in thought and practice. He blessed many with his gentlemanly professionalism, exceptional insights, and compassionate care – he will be deeply missed.

RADM Ed Gilbert was a mentor to me and a very close personal friend to me and my wife June. He was USCG Captain of the Port of Tampa when two tragic events happened within a month of each other, first the collision with the Sunshine Skyway bridge (destruction of the southbound half of the bridge and massive loss of life), and second the collision and sinking of the USCG Cutter Blackthorn in Tampa Bay (loss of life of 22 USCG sailors). These tragedies prompted Captain Ed Gilbert to lead the USCG and the State of Florida to lead the maritime community (including the Tampa Bay Pilots) to develop a tracking system which led me at Ross Engineering Company to go to work on it, eventually leading to the development of the AIS. This is the way RADM Ed Gilbert was wired by God, and it was my good fortune to be his student, his colleague and his close friend! Godspeed, my dear RADM Ed Gilbert, see you on the other side! AMEN! 

OBITUARY

Marshall Edward Gilbert Sr.

November 24, 1936 – June 4, 2020

Murphy Funeral Homes

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