Delbert Wesley Gilbow Jr., also known as Sonny, left this earth to be with the Lord on April 23, 2011. He was born in Crane, Texas, on March 13, 1934, to Delbert and Pearl Marie Gilbow, being the second of three children.Delbert Wesley Gilbow Jr., also known as Sonny, left this earth to be with the Lord on April 23, 2011. He was born in Crane, Texas, on March 13, 1934, to Delbert and Pearl Marie Gilbow, being the second of three children.Delbert served his country in the armored tank division of the military, and being an excellent rifleman, trained troops for special assignment for different parts of the world.He attended Washington State University in Pullman, Wash., then earned his master of arts degree from UC Berkeley. Leading a team of archeologists, he unearthed a mastodon in Sequim, Wash.As a young man he worked in the Rangely, Colo., oilfields, served on the Border Patrol, was a law enforcement officer, a college teacher, an Alaskan sea captain, commercial shrimp fisherman and a scuba diver.Delbert worked as a disk jockey at KFRB in Fairbanks doing the country and western show with many a fan-following. He was a strong supporter and advocate for gun rights, lobbying in Congress for the state of Washington on the second amendment in the ‘90s. Delbert, with his canine companion Bandit by his side, enjoyed hunting and fishing.He is the author of the western historical novel, “There Ain’t No Money In It,” which intertwines nostalgic hints with the territories he traveled and the people he knew and loved.Drawing near to the Lord in his later years, he worked in California churches in different capacities by organizing outreach programs, providing activities for church seniors, feeding low-income families through church funded projects, teaching Bible classes and officiating Sunday morning devotions and announcements.He is preceded in death by his dad, mother and sister, Betty Marie White.Delbert is survived by six children, Deborah Colleen Dew of Florida, Natalla Hazelton of Colorado, Sheri Hokanson of Idaho, Robin Long of Nevada, David Wills and Betty Tenret of California, sister Gloria and her husband Don Poindexter, one niece of Kansas, and two nephews of Pennsylvania and Texas, 22 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and many cousins. “Hey you!” We love and miss you very much! Memorial services will be held June 11, 2011, at 11 a.m. at Calvary Chapel, 3267 Airway Dr. #C, in Santa Rosa, Calif., 95403. Following will be graveside and military burial services in Newton, Kan. For more information email [email protected] or [email protected].
