Gilbert Galvan

Gilbert was born on August 2, 1940, the fourth child of Alberto & Eleanor Galvan. At 19 months he was entered into the Baby election and highlighted in the San Bernardino Sun, “He’s a very handsome fellow, too, with blonde curly hair, big grey-green eyes, and a solid, chubby little body.” He won the election. When he was seventeen, he joined the army. When they learned about his age, he was immediately discharged. Not one to give up though, when he turned 18 he joined the Navy and was accepted. He served in various locations in the far east and was always rightly proud of his service. After the Navy he attended San Bernardino Valley College, playing football in addition to his schooling.

Gilbert married his first wife, Anita Gutierrez, in 1963 and his first daughter Carol Galvan was born in January of 1967. In 1976 he married Alma Salazar, with whom he spent the rest of his life. Their daughter Summer was born in 1978.

Gilbert worked for Kaiser Steel for a time but spent most of his professional career as a boilermaker at the Santa Fe shops in both San Bernardino and Topeka, Kansas. He retired from the railroad in 2002.

Gilbert was always fun to be around and enjoyed a good party. He was proud to be a part of his extended Galvan family and over the years made a point of visiting the more remote relatives regularly. Much of the family news traveled between the relatives through him.

Over the last twenty-five years he dedicated himself to the church and the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed his time as an usher, greeting the parishioners with a grin and very often a prayer card.

Gilbert was preceded in death by his brother Albert Galvan and sister Margaret Rose De La Rosa. He is survived by his sisters Della Arroyo, Betty Galvan-Silvas and Susan Orem, his wife, Alma M Galvan, his two daughters Summer and Carol (Galvan) Rhoades and her husband Bobby, grandchildren Monique Turner, Branden Doyle and wife Lindi, Cory Doyle and wife Jamie, Karissa Rhoades, and Justin Goodwin, great-grandchildren Sheridan Williams and husband Brayden, Tre Turner, Kendall Doyle, Harleigh Doyle, Hudson Doyle, Ashton Barrow, Emerson Doyle, Layten Doyle, Bryson Schroeder, Brenton Schroeder, and Sage Goodwin, and his great-great-granddaughter Rowen Mae Williams.