Gilbert Ray Edmundson

Gilbert Ray Edmundson, named for his great grandfather Gilbert Monroe Pippen and his grandfather Donald Ray Edmundson, was born on Monday, August 12, 1968, in Shreveport LA. The family moved to Texas shortly after and Gil grew up as a proud Texan in the Houston suburb of Alief enjoying a happy childhood playing sports, many other activities and spending family time together with his dad, mom and two sisters and especially loved fishing with his father whenever possible.

Gil went to be with the Lord on the heels of a wonderful family Thanksgiving with his wife Melanie of 22 years and his 7-year-old son Richie. November 29 was an otherwise happy day - they spent family time getting ready for Christmas and Gil had just finished hanging the outside lights on their house. They were together when Gil suddenly collapsed with a heart attack; he did not suffer.

Gil was the definition of a truly devoted and loving family man. Gil was always punctual and always present as Melanie’s favorite companion and unconditional support for Melanie’s very time-consuming business activities and never missed any of Richie’s school and extracurricular activities and made a point to help out in any way or coach and was Richie’s scout den leader at the time of his passing. Gil was the “HERO” for their entire family including parents, in laws and other relatives and always there for each of them. He was truly the rock and solid foundation of their family through all their many trials they experienced together especially over the last several years.

Exactly 2 years after they began dating on Independence Day, 1996, Gil and Melanie were married on the 4th of July 1998 in Grand Prairie, Texas at the Good Shepherd Covent of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth and that was their best day of their life until the birth of their son Richard Gilbert Edmundson on February 28, 2013. Even though Gil and Melanie lived in Houston, Texas, their next 20 years of anniversary celebrations were back in Grand Prairie at the at Lonestar Park Horse Track. Thanks to Melanie’s parents VIP invitation to them they were always treated in grand style along with other family members and many of their friends over the years to a wonderful celebration that included one of the biggest fireworks displays in the Nation.

Gil Graduated in 1987 from Alief Elsik High School, in 1993 from Stephen F. Austin State University with a BA in Marketing, and from The University of St. Thomas with an MBA in Finance in 2001. Gil was a professional banking executive that worked his way through the ranks beginning as a bank teller advancing with many positions including credit manager, loan officer, relationship manager and a commercial lender along the way after graduating college in 1993. After his over 30-year uninterrupted professional banking career, Gil had finally landed his most rewarding professional banking position with Capital Bank as a Market President specializing in commercial lending in early 2020 just before the pandemic hit and still endeavored to excel at that opportunity until his passing in late November. He always appreciated each position he had and strived to do his best to represent each bank in a solid, ethical and professional manner which included many years with Allegiance Bank, Royal Oaks Bank, JP Morgan Chase and Bank One. Gil received numerous awards for production and always devoted time to the banks and his own charitable causes including Blood Drives, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation walks, CCA, MS150 (participant for many years), Boy Scouts of America and through the years together with Melanie, many more time and monetary contributions to charities such as Komen Race for the Cure & the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

In 2004, Gil started another journey with Melanie when he decided to become a member of the Catholic Church through The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) where they are members of St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Houston Texas. Gil along with Melanie as his sponsor spent time weekly at the church and both had another meaningful and wonderful experience together. Gil completed the RCIA journey March 19, 2005.

Gil loved to hang with and watch movies or programs that Richie liked whether it was the likes of Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig or more recently Richie’s passion for world history and geography programs. Gil liked to watch action movies and his choice of programs usually included many sports (Houston Oilers, Texans, and a big Astros Fan), adventure (Bear Grylls and Survivor) and travel programs and all food cooking shows after he and Melanie discovered the original “Iron Chef” in 1996 while they were dating and realized their similar passion for different foods and cooking. Gil and Melanie loved to entertain friends and family and went on to host many parties and belonged to a couple’s dinner club for many years responsible for hosting a 3-5 course home cooked dinner for the other couples as they rotated turns. As he did every year for Melanie’s birthday, Gil planned something very special and usually took Melanie on a trip to celebrate. On her 40th Birthday, Gil brought his Rick Steves’s book on their trip to Italy and ignored all the suggested historic sites and instead he took all of Rick’s restaurant advice sometimes going to 5-6 restaurants a day to make sure they didn’t miss one. They had an extraordinary culinary time throughout Italy and promised to go back later to visit the historic sites since they knew they would still be there. Among his culinary passions Gil loved to grill, BBQ, and baked banana bread on weekends and make chocolate chip cookies with Richie as often as possible to satisfy their sweet tooth together.

Gil was interested in most everything, a big adventurer and always up to any trip, anywhere and anytime. Their first big trip together was to Germany and Austria for their honeymoon. One of Melanie’s best friends from college booked them a private room at a single room occupancy castle on the Rhine River for them for the first night overseas. Since Melanie grew up in Germany, she convinced Gil they could just rent a car and wing it from there for the rest of the trip. Gil didn’t pause one second and was ready for anything and they had no cell phone, GPS, and no itinerary but was the most wonderful, exciting experience of their lifetime and from then on many of their travels were similar with a loose itinerary so they could be spontaneous along the way to whatever was presented to them without having to follow a schedule and miss any opportunity to experience the cultures they were visiting. Melanie and Gil were fortunate to travel often because of Melanie’s busy business conference schedule in different cities in the US and on their own and with family to many US cities and states, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Italy, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mexico and Dominican Republic. Gil, Melanie and Richie loved to travel together and couldn’t wait to go traveling whenever they could even if it meant a quick hour trip to their ranch house for the weekend to do some of his favorite things like fishing, stargazing and making smores with Richie.

Gil was an avid fisherman & sportsman of many sports all his life and completed sprint triathlons, MS150 bike rides and competed in fishing tournaments over the years. His passions included foremost the love of his family and friends, coaching Richie, animals, travel, all kinds of food, grilling, craft beer, stargazing at the ranch, fishing, skeet shooting, bowling, all kinds of music especially 80’s, jazz, classical which he and Melanie enjoyed Houston Symphony tickets for over 20 years. He seemed to collect fishing gear, shoes, sunglasses, tools and could not resist a crane machine always winning a prize. Some of his favorite sayings included “It’s got to be the front row”, when parking and always getting a front row spot. “Can of Corn” while watching baseball. And from Caddy Shack, “So I got that going for me, which is nice” and “I don’t think the heavy stuff is going to come down for quite a while,” which he said often commenting on the Houston weather.

Gil always wanted the family to be happy and remembered special dates and couldn’t wait to please his family with gifts he carefully chose for them when it was a birthday or anniversary, etc. Although not a man of many words, Gil had a great sense of humor, beaming smile and loving demeanor and at 6’5” was also thought of as a gentle giant and literally always stopped to smell the roses when he saw one along the way.

He is survived by his Wife - Melanie Edmundson, Son - Richard Edmundson, Mother- Kathryn Pippen Edmundson, Sisters - Suzanne Sterling (Lee Sterling) and Jill Edmundson, In Laws - Gisela and Richard Fregoe, Melanie’s Sister Michele Knapp (David Knapp), Nieces - Dorothy Sterling Gangan, Emily Edmundson, Emma Knapp, Lily Knapp, Nephew- Philip Sterling

Preceded in death by: Father- Raymond Eugene Edmundson, Grandparents – James and Dorothy Pippen, Donald and Nellie Edmundson

To honor the memory of Gil, the family has set up a college fund for Richie. Donations can be made out to: VCSP/COLLEGEAMERICA, MELANIE F EDMUNDSON FBO RICHARD GILBERT EDMUNDSON.

Checks can be mailed directly to Morgan Stanley, Attn: Rob Wyckoff, 755 E. Mulberry, Ste. 300, San Antonio, TX 78212

Melanie and Richie are truly grateful for all the continuous loving support especially during a very sorrowful time throughout the ongoing pandemic.

Fisherman’s Prayer-

God grant that I may live to fish

Until my dying day,

And when it comes to my last cast

I then must humbly pray,

When in the lords safe landing net

I’m peacefully asleep, that in His mercy, I be judged

Good enough to keep.

“Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Your every act should be done with love.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Dear Gil, Your Devoted Love, Laughter and Beaming Smile Is Dearly Missed By All.