Charles Thomas Gilpin

Charles Thomas Gilpin of San Jose, CA was born January 8, 1949 and passed March 8, 2011. Tom is survived by his wife of 36 years, Pamela Christensen Gilpin, daughter, Christina Lee Gilpin, son Thomas Ryan Gilpin, granddaughter, Emma Brooke Gilpin, parents Helen and Charles Gilpin of Modesto, brother David Gilpin and family of Modesto and sister Peggy Gilpin of Oakdale. Funeral Services will be held Friday, March 18, 2011, 2pm, at Lakewood Funeral Home, 900 Santa Fe Avenue, Hughson, CA. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made on behalf of the Boy Scouts of America to the Tom Gilpin Camp Scholarship Fund (3076 Bates Court, San Jose, CA 95148).

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Charles Thomas Gilpin was born January 8, 1949 to Helen Challoner Gilpin and Charles Lee Gilpin in Mt. Vernon, Washington. He graduated in 1967 from Oakdale High School. He received his AA degree from Glendale College in Aerospace Technology and while there he was captain of the Flying Team. In 1974 he graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in Business. He was very active in his fraternity – Alpha Phi Omega – a service organization.

Tom met his future wife Pam through a mutual friend at SJSU. Their first date was at the Old Spaghetti Factory. He had to sell one of his school textbooks in order to take her out. They tied the knot on August 17, 1974. They have lived in San Jose on Bates Court since 1984.

Tom was a man of many interests. He enjoyed numerous outdoor activities from skeet and trap shooting, camping, fishing, and fly-fishing. He also loved hunting; especially pheasant and wild game. His indoor activities included collecting vintage pens and his model train collection. Other passions recently include the Mason organization where he was a Master Mason.

He was passionately involved with the Brittany breed of hunting dogs. He had many faithful dogs through out his years, including Britty, Mark, Buster, Brandy, Katie, Jenny, and Rylee. Tom started running Rylee in field trials – Junior Hunter, Senior Hunter and his goal, now Pam’s (with the help of Tom’s father) is to get Rylee to Master Hunter.

One of his most important involvements was with the Santa Clara County Boy Scout Troop 264. Tom was actively involved throughout Ryan’s journey to Eagle Scout. Even when Ryan completed his Boy Scout journey, Tom continued as merit badge counselor and has mentored over a dozen scouts on their journey to being an Eagle Scout.

For the last 5 years Tom has worked for Blade Networks/IBM in Santa Clara as Senior Director, Supply Management. He traveled overseas to Asia on business where he gained many new friendships. On one of his trips, he was able to visit Shanghai, China where his mother was born.

Beloved husband of Pamela Christensen for 36 years, loving father of daughter Christina Lee Gilpin (28) and son Thomas Ryan Gilpin (22), and devoted grandfather of granddaughter Emma Brooke Gilpin (4). Survived by his parents, Helen Challoner Gilpin and Charles Lee Gilpin of Modesto, brother to Marguerite “Peggy” Gilpin and David Walter Gilpin and his wife Dorothy.