He is survived by his wife of 45 years Mary Jane Lavender Gilbert; son, Tony Gilbert of Monticello, AR; daughter, Debbie Queen and husband Dee of Frankston, TX; daughter, Glenda Howard and husband Steve of Santa Fe, NM; grandson, Owen Queen and wife Tori of Neches, TX; great grandchildren, Jonathan and Penny Queen; sisters, Jo Rita Franks of Meridian, ID, Doris Callison of Oakley, CA, Joyce Elliot of Gardnerville, NV and Shirley Gilbert of Jefferson, TX; as well as a host of nieces and nephews.
He worked at Dura Craft Boats for 17 years then started a career at the Arkansas Baptist Home for Children. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from UAM and earned a Doctorate from Ole Miss. He began work with the Monticello School District as the Director of Community Education where he helped create many programs that are still in effect today. He retired in 1994.
While he loved fishing, hunting, card games and joke telling, he mostly loved spending time on the tennis courts with his buddies. He and Mary Jane spent most of their retirement years playing in Senior Olympic games all over the United States, playing Pickle Ball and working out at the gym. He and Mary Jane loved supporting all UAM college teams, feeding football players and mingling with friends while tailgating before home games. They received the ''Continuing the Connection Award'' from UAM in 2013. He was a member of Pauline Missionary Baptist Church.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, January 6, 2025, at Stephenson Dearman Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Rob Leonard officiating. There will be a visitation from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Monday preceding the funeral service at the funeral home. A private family graveside burial will follow. Serving as pallbearers are Sammy Moore, Fred Cooper, Jimmy Sawyer, David Carpenter, Hassan Sayyer and Evelyn Crutchfield. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Drs. Glen and Mary Jane Gilbert Scholarship Fund at UAM. Checks may be mailed to the UAM Foundation Fund, PO Box 3520, Monticello, AR 71656 or Online at Uamont.edu in memory of Dr. Glen Gilbert. You can sign Glen's guestbook registry on this page.
Condolences(19)
Bill Fudge
Crossville, TN Monday, January 6, 2025 Mary JaneSo sorry for your loss! Traci called me. you and Glenn were always a joy!
God Bless You
Bill and Traci
Pam Herrington
Hot Springs, AR Monday, January 6, 2025 Mary Jane,I’m so sorry to hear of Glenn’s passing. What a great guy. Loved working for him at the children’s home and community ed, when in college and many hours on the tennis court.
My sincere condolences for your loss. Hugs and love to you.
John Chandler
Chesapeake, VA Sunday, January 5, 2025 The Community Education Tennis tournaments and Glen Gilbert were how I got introduced to Tennis. Thankful to have known Glen and lucky for his contributions to making Monticello a tennis hotspot for southern AR in the 80's! I and many of my friends benefited from his commitment and vision. My sincerest condolences to the family.Joy Holley
Monticello, AR Sunday, January 5, 2025 There are no words to express how sorry we are for your loss. We will keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.Joy & Dennis Holley
Kay Worbington
Monticello, AR Sunday, January 5, 2025 To Glen's family -- I am sorry for your great loss. I considered Glen a friend and enjoyed working with him. I first met him when I worked for the special education dept. and was housed in the same area as the Community Education Program where Glen was the director. Mary Jane, this memory goes way back. Glen always had a smile & a friendly personality, but back in those days, he seemed to have a slight issue with people knowing how old he was. He always looked younger than his age to me. On the day of Glen's 50th birthday when I was in my 30's, all the co-workers except Glen found out that you Mary Jane had put a big sign on the back of the tailgate of his truck. We were all watching as he got out of his vehicle. He came in without looking at the back and started working at his desk. Later he had to go some place. We all went to the windows,. He immediately went to the rear of his truck to put some in it. Suddenly, his expression changed and he jerked that sign off and threw it in the back of truck. We were all laughing so hard. When he came back to the office, we were teasing him. He said, "I drove all the way through town with that sign on my truck!!" Hard to believe we thought 50 was old. But Glen actually never seemed to age. You have my prayers of comfort at this sad time!Lowell Lynde
Choudrant, LA Saturday, January 4, 2025 Dear Mary Jane, I was so sorry to hear about Glen's death. I met him at the Baptist home right after I moved to Monticello in 1969. He was a dear friend with whom I shared many happy hours. May God welcome his soul and comfort you and all his family.Dennis (Denny) LaMaster
Longview, TX Saturday, January 4, 2025 Dear Ones, we are so sorry for this loss as we will miss our Uncle Glen. His humor, light heart and encouraging spirit lives on in all of us that were affected by him. I am his 65 years old nephew through his sister Shirley who is 85 and living near me in an East Texas nursing home in Jefferson, TX. She sends her love to all and would love to be there but can no longer travel.Uncle Glen invited us to live with him and his young family in the summer of 1966 and taught us universal life skills that emanated from two things:
1. CHORES
2. TEAM SPORTS.
You didn’t get to skip out on either of them! And all he required was your best effort. Anything less required a return to the makeshift softball dugout for a one on one session with the team owner. And it was never ok to get tired or quit early. And if you felt you were too little, too young, or slow, he would help you hold the bat and SWING!!! POW!!! Home run!!! Yes… even a 4 year old can knock it out of the park when Uncle Glen is helping. That summer changed our lives. We had no idea how much we needed his leadership and encouragement during a hard time. We never knew how hard it really was until we grew up. Or how much an 30 something year old Uncle Glen with a family of his own sacrificed for us… what a fine man.
After 45 years of marriage to Grace, 8 children and 16 grandchildren (so far) I’ve yet to meet anyone more encouraging with more strength of character than my Uncle Glen. I would say “Rest in Peace” but you know he’s recruiting teams, setting up tournaments and telling jokes so I think it’s better to say, “hustle to FIRST BASE!”
We love the whole family, all our cousins and extended relations and of course, we adore Mary Jane!
Darlene Johnson
Monticello, AR Saturday, January 4, 2025 I'm sending many prayers to the Gilbert family. Mr. Gilbert was a great inspiration. I was one of the Monticello Billies volleyball players during my last year of school and I continued to play with the team called "Monticello Ladies" through Community Ed. after graduating in 1979. He was a great inspiration to the players and students that he came in contact with. Years after graduating, I ran into him at one of the ball games and I didn't think he recognized me. He walked up to me and greeted me by name with this huge smile, which was his way of showing and giving everyone encouragement, inspiration, and mostly being Mr. Gilbert. I will always remember and honor your dedication toward the students and the Monticello School District.Linda Wheatley
Saratoga, AR Saturday, January 4, 2025 Love and prayers sent to all . So sorry for your lost . Love you Mary JaneScarlett Wright
Denton, TX Saturday, January 4, 2025 I will never forget the kindness that Mr. Glen (and Mrs Mary Jane) showed to me and especially my Granny, Betty Wright. You all are in my prayers.Ameta Vines
MAGNOLIA, AR Saturday, January 4, 2025 Mary Jane and family,So sorry about Glen. Such a Christian man. He enjoyed life.
Praying for all of you.
Love you
Ameta
Cindy McKinstry
LITTLE ROCK, AR Friday, January 3, 2025 So sorry to hear of the loss of Mr. Glen. Prayers and thoughts are with y’all during this time.Hollie Parker
Moselle, MS Friday, January 3, 2025 Oh how this man brought laughter to our family! You will be missed and we loved you so much!Rick & Donna Owens
Rosenberg, TX Friday, January 3, 2025 So sorry to hear this news. Many great memories of Glen when we lived in Monticello. Prayers for Mary Jane and family 🙏🙏.Grant and Gay Pace
Monticello, AR Friday, January 3, 2025 Mary Jane and family, You are in our prayers during this time. We have so many memories of tailgating and ball games with the 2 of you. May God give you strength during this time.Suzie Harmon Tucker
Star City, AR Friday, January 3, 2025 So very sorry for your loss. Prayers for Mary Jane and the rest of his family and friends.Don and Katy Hartley
Hamburg, AR Friday, January 3, 2025 We have lost a friend of many years and of many miles to UAM ballgames. He will be missed but will always have memories. Love you both. 💚💚🥰🥰Jane Summerford
Monticello, AR Friday, January 3, 2025 Just want you, family, to know I am thinking of you. Love you and praying for your comfort as you go through the loss of your loved one.Gloria Schwab
Centerton, AR Thursday, January 2, 2025 Debbie and family , I was so sorry to hear this news . Your dad was responsible for a lot of us getting to continue playing the sports we loved after high school. Prayers of comfort for you and your family .