Earle Hays Short Gilbride

2025 surrounded by family. Earle was born 8 January 1946 to Earle Hays and Lucille Johnson Short in

Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, Mexico. He attended high school at Robert E. Lee High School in Baton

Rouge, Louisiana (now known as Liberty High School), then to Louisiana State University as a member

of Scabbard & Blade, the Bengal Raiders, and ROTC before enlisting in the U.S. Army. After 2 tours in

Vietnam where he was honorably discharged as Captain and awarded many medals including Bronze

Star V, he then attended University of Texas Arlington where he graduated with BBA in Accounting (1990)

and received his CPA designation. He had a long distinguished career as an accountant and CPA.

In 1993, he married the love of his life, Kathy McKissack Gilbride. He made the conscious decision to be

baptized at St. Rita Catholic Church and became a RCIA sponsor. He made beautiful rosaries that he

gifted to numerous people to honor his Catholic faith. Earle was an avid collector of trains and a

passionate reader of history who loved to share his learnings. He loved the Gaelic language and Irish

dance - studying them both. He was an accomplished artist, both painting and poetry, whose paintings

have been exhibited. Around his neighborhood, he was also known as the “Turtle Man.”

Earle was preceded in death by his parents, Earle and Lucille, and his sisters, Yvonne Lucille Short Watts

and Denise Short Smith. He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Kathy, and by his nephew, Kenneth Earle

Watts and his sons, Connor and Grant; his niece, Yvonne Richard, her husband, Je Richard, and their

children, Caitlin and Ben Kirby; and her nephew, Marshall Watts, and wife, Julia, and their children,

Henry, Hays, and Helen. He is also survived by his in-laws - Becky Birmingham, Diane & Mike Smith,

Michael & Jackie McKissack, Kelly & Deborah McKissack, numerous nieces and nephews; as well as

extended family of Cathy & James Banks, Jack Jr. & Kathy Cleaveland, Mark & Meredith Cleaveland,

Paul & Melinda Cleaveland and more nieces and nephews. He was loved as he loved.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society in memory of Earle Gilbride