Gilbert "Gil" Hernandez Black

On the morning of June 9, 2023, Gilbert “Gil” Hernandez Black, 88, of Danbury, Connecticut, peacefully transitioned to glory at 3:20 am, at Autumn Lake Healthcare. His death was witnessed by his youngest daughter Kisha, who was in the room at the time of his passing. Also by his side was his devoted significant other, Dolores Morgenthaler. Gil was raised on West 159th Street, between Edgecomb and Amsterdam Avenue in New York City. He was a brother, father, nephew, grandfather, and great-grandfather; he was the son of the late Louise Muriel (Betty) Hernandez Black and the late Gilbert Lee Black, Sr. He has two sisters, Muriel L. Bryant, and Tina C. Black. Additionally, he was a beloved Uncle to his nieces and nephew, Vanessa L. Bryant, George Anthony Bryant, and Michelle L. Johnson.

Gil was extremely proud of all of his 10 children: Monique S. Black; Gilbert Black Jr. “(Little Gil”) (Suzy); Shaun Fitzgerald; the late Timothy Fitzgerald; Endia Shanklin (James), and Courtney Branch (Rhonda). In 1961, he married the late Reverend Ramona T. Black. From this union, four girls were born, AndreYah M. Black, Cheryl T. Black, Almetra Murdock, and Kisha R. Black.

Gil attended elementary school at PS 46 on West 156th Street; middle school at Stitt Jr High School and graduated from Stamford High School in Stamford, Connecticut in 1954. He earned a diploma in 1961 in child care at Hunter College in New York City. Gil was baptized at the age of 10 in 1945; he attended Day Star Baptist Church on West 157th Street in New York City.

On January 16, 1958, Gil was enlisted in the US Army in Stamford, Connecticut. He completed basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey; he took pride in his duties while in the army. He completed advanced training in LVT - (Land Vehicle Tracked), and Mos 640 - (Army Veterinary Corps Food Safety Officer). His base station was at the old Reese Con. in Augsburg, Germany during the Cold War. He was honorably discharged in 1959, with a PFC rank - (Private First Class).

Gil owned 3 companies: a mom-and-pop record shop, Black Records from 1961 - 1976; Black’s Vending from 1960-1980 both in Norwalk, CT, and Guys and Dolls Billiards in Danbury from 1995-2015. On Saturdays, his daughters Andreyah, Monique, and niece Michelle went to work with him; they danced in the record shop windows (like soul-train dancers) for their own enjoyment. Gil said they attracted many customers to purchase records. Gil was a self-made entrepreneur who treated his customers like family with elite customer service. He impacted people of all ages, especially the youth. When interviewed in 2021 in a documentary short film, “Our Fathers Our Heroes”, about giving advice to the youth, he exclaimed, “Children should stay in school, get a good education, go to church, and learn the bible.”

Gil was raised in Washington Heights in New York City. Baseball was his first love. In elementary school, he obtained his baseball education by climbing over the fence of the Polo Grounds to watch the greatest ball players of all time. He was a baseball star in elementary and middle school, yet also became a rising star in high school with a record of 17-1. Upon graduation from high school, Gil signed with the Milwaukee Braves in 1954 and played most games in the South during Jim Crow Laws. In 1955, he signed with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro Leagues and played until 1956. Gil continued to play professionally in Torrington, Connecticut even while in his 40s. For the last 40 years plus, Gil has been a proud resident of Danbury, Connecticut. Many people knew him as Gil. Gil was the perfect gentleman, elegant, extraordinarily handsome, and tall in stature. His outstanding character exemplified integrity, kind-heartedness, compassion, unfathomable generosity, and the wisdom of a seer.

In the last 10 years, Gil was very much in love with his darling significant other, Dolores “Dolly '' Morgenthaler. They enjoyed the simple things in life, such as food shopping, visiting their favorite outdoor flea market in Patterson, New York on Sunday afternoons, and more. Gil's pastimes were spent spending time with companions at the Veterans War Foreign Center (VWF) in Danbury. His hobbies were baseball, bowling, and billiards. He loved to watch the news, and his favorite television shows, All In The Family and Married With Children. In Gil’s adult years, he loved to be inspired by watching Bishop TD Jakes and Joel Olsteen on television. Also, he enjoyed reading the “Rubaiyat" by Omar Khayyam and poems by Rudyard Kipling. Gil adored his family and loved to spend time with them. He loved meatloaf, a good well-done steak, and mashed potatoes. He also enjoyed the holidays with family and good Southern cooking. Gil is an aficionado of most genres of music, but most of all, country music because of the touching lyrics.