Marilynn Sue Gilbert

Marilynn Sue Gilbert, 76, of Englewood, Colorado, passed away at home after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her family at her time of passing. Sue was born to John and Mary Shelton on March 7, 1937, in Evansville, Indiana. She and her sister Donna spent their childhood in Evansville, until as a young teenager her parents decided to make a move to Long Beach, California, where her father had gotten a job in the steel fabrication industry. Their first home was an apartment right on the beach. Sue loved living in California and was very active in various clubs throughout Junior High and High school, including student government and class yearbook, dressmaking and modeling shows. She learned to be an excellent seamstress and won many fashion show competitions.

Sue dated many boys but gave her heart when she was 16 to one shy young fellow she met through a friend at a Fourth of July firework stand while she worked there. Sue and Bob Gilbert began a courtship that turned into a 58 year marriage. They lived in an apartment at first, and it is joked within our family that that was the only finished house she ever lived in. Bob and Sue enjoyed remodeling, and every home they bought after that had some project to do to make it more their own. Three sons followed soon after their wedding: John, Michael and James. A job transfer for Bob moved the family to Boise, Idaho, where they settled down for several years. Soon after the move, they learned of two little girls who were relatives that were up for adoption. Sue desperately wanted a little girl, and since the girls were being adopted together, she sent for both, to which Bob agreed. Becky and Dawn came to live with them and the family grew to seven. Sue was involved in New Comer's and Bridge club while in Idaho, and kept busy making a home for her family.

Bob's work necessitated a move again, and when trying to decide where to move, Bob wanted to move back to the ocean, but Sue wanted to live by the mountains. She had driven through with her parents once and thought it a nice place. So they bought a large rambling house in Englewood, across the street from a huge park, with a great view of the front range, and spent the rest of her life there. She again was involved in various clubs and made many friends. Her easy going nature and kind heart made it easy for her to settle in. When the children were older, she decided to try her hand at selling real estate, working for Century 21. Later she worked for Johnson Moving and Storage as a sales secretary and claims representative. She enjoyed her job immensely, and always had interesting stories to tell.

She and Bob took the children on many camping trips and long vacations all over the state and parts of the country. An insatiable curiosity fueled their interest in travel, whether it was learning about the early inhabitants of the West and trips to all the cliff dwellings around Colorado and Utah, or spelunking in caverns and caves, either large like Carlsbad Caverns and Mammoth Cave or crawling on hands and knees through primitive caves. Sue would get the children packed and ready to go, and when Bob got home from work Friday evening, they'd all jump into the station wagon and be off! Of course they also spent a great deal of time tearing down walls and rebuilding their house. We joke that they made the house larger after all the children had moved out, but it became large enough to hold everyone when the children came home to visit with all their spouses and grandchildren!

Sue joined a Sweet Adeline's chorus and spent many, many happy years singing with the ladies. she held many posts, including President, Treasurer, Rules and By-Laws, and of course Costume Committee. Her skill as a seamstress was put to good use creating and altering costumes for the ever-growing chorus. She loved going to competitions and was very pleased when daughter Dawn and daughter-in-law Kris joined the chorus. She remained in contact with several of the friends she had made in her years with Sweet Adelines until the time of her death.

Travel continued for Bob and Sue, from caravan trips to Mexico pulling their trailer or driving the motor home, to three trips to Alaska, which they fell in love with, going as far North as the Arctic Circle. An extended vacation to New Zealand, a trip to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, a few trips to the Hawaiian Islands, trips on houseboats to Lake Powell, and a few cruises filled their "spare" time. Sue loved to plan the trips and was very adept at lining up all the details. Son James and his family were stationed in Japan while in the Air Force, so a trip to China and Japan for several months was in order. They also spent time with son Michael in Texas during the winter months helping him build his home. They became "Snowbirders" for many years.

The cancer diagnosis came during the summer-one last houseboat trip to Lake Powell and Sue charged head on into battle, fighting hard to live as best she could. We were blessed to have her for almost five more years, during which time she got to welcome new spouses to her grandchildren and new great grandchildren. She always enjoyed when the family returned and congregated at her and Bob's home, which has been the central hub for our large, boisterous crowd.

She was surrounded by her family when she passed, at home in the house she helped build, enveloped by the Love that she lavished upon us all. She is survived by her devoted husband Bob, mother Mary Shelton, sons John (Tamara, Arianne, and Rhianna), Michael, James (Kristina, Samantha, Benjamin), Daughter Rebecca (RIck, JD, Holly), and Dawn (Mark, Derek, Erin), great grandchildren Genevieve, Connor, Charlotte, Abigail, Madison and Hayden.

Celebration of a Life Well Lived will be held Monday, February 24th, 2014 at 2:00 p.m., at Olinger Chapel Hill Funeral Home, 6601 Colorado Blvd., with visitation at 1:00 p.m.