Gilbert Elor Pradia Sr.

A visitation will begin on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 from 6pm-8pm at Sunset Funeral Home. A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, December 17, 2020 at St. Helena’s Catholic Church with a rosary beginning at 10:00am, Mass at 10:30am, and a committal service to follow at 2:00pm at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

He is preceded in death by his parents and wife Alta Malvenia, as well as siblings: Preston, Albert, Hardin, Charles, Rose, and Florence; mother-in-law: Alta Ruth Swaizey; father-in-law: Earl Nugent; brother-in-law Todd Swaizey.

He is survived by his children: Christal Pradia (Fiancée Gabriel Martinez), Angela Jones (William “Tank”), Gilbert Pradia, Jr.; sister Mary Pradia Pugh; sister-in-law: Peggy Swaizey; grandchildren: Demetria Stewart (Sharod), Brittany, William Jr., Andre’, Gabriela; great-granddaughter: Trinity; and cousins, nieces, nephews: Lisa Johnson, Joseph Pradia, JoAnn Martin, Marsha Pradia, Laura Edney-Funeri, Sean Pradia, Dwayne Pradia, Darlene Pugh, Edith Pugh, Michael Pugh, Reggie Melonsen, Garry Melonsen, Cheryl Walker, and other numerous loving family members and friends.

As a child Gilbert worked at a Grocery store on the corner where he lived from age 7 to 13. He mainly stocked the shelves. Gilbert would work a few hours after school, and he also had good grades which demonstrates he was very ambitious. He loved to cook. He would bring home food from the store where he worked and would make lunch for his family such as baloney sandwiches. His hair was always immaculate, as he had pride in his appearance. He also was very neat and quiet, even as a child. Gilbert’s dad would drive the kids to school every day in the morning, and Gilbert would ask his dad to drop him off to Church then he would walk to school from there. The kids thought he would become a Priest because he loved to go to Church. — Mary Pradia-Pugh

Gilbert enlisted in the Army and later met Alta when she was attending Trinity University. They often worshipped together at San Fernando Cathedral. Soon afterward they married at First Baptist Church on Nebraska Street (later changed to Martin Luther King) with reception to follow at Fort Sam Houston. Gilbert is remembered as “a man of few words” and a wonderful husband and father. – Peggy Swaizey

Gilbert and Alta were married for 43 years before she passed away. Because of Gilbert’s service in the military, they travelled as a family and lived in various states and countries, Texas, Massachusetts, Kentucky, California, Georgia, Panama, Vietnam, and Korea to name a few.

He was an awesome, responsible, dependable, generous, wise and loving father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and cousin. Gilbert was very active and his service to the Lord. He served as an usher and rosary teacher at Saint Helena’s Catholic Church, volunteered in the community, and gave to several charities.