The Rev. Douglass Gilbert died peacefully in the care of Hospice in Greensboro, NC on September 9, 2026. His Service of Death and Resurrection will be held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church on Wednesday, September 23, at 1:00 p.m. The family will receive friends at a reception afterwards, between 3:00 and 5:00 in the Special Occasions Room at Well-Spring Retirement Community.
Doug was devoted to his family and so proud of his children. He was a dedicated and faithful pastor and preacher, caring deeply about each of his congregations. He treasured all of God’s creation, especially humanity. He believed strongly in love, kindness, justice, mercy and servant leadership. Doug was a civil rights activist, biblical scholar and teacher, visionary, family historian, prize-winning gardener, spectacular bass singer, fine photographer, and never-failing comedian.
Doug’s visionary legacy resides in organizations that are still thriving today. Among them are Imprints Cares in Winston-Salem NC, Crisis Control Ministry in Winston-Salem, and Tri-C Ministry in Elkin, NC.
Doug was born in 1937 in Jackson, Tennessee, the son of the late Henry Douglas Gilbert and Rubye Louise Barnett. Following completion of public education in Jackson, he received his AB degree from Lambuth College, also in Jackson. He then attended The Divinity School of Duke University from which he received a Bachelor of Divinity in 1963 and a Master of Theology in 1965. In 1965 he also received certification from Duke University Medical Center for completion of two years of Clinical Pastoral Education.
In 1960 Doug was transferred from The Tennessee Conference of The Methodist Church to The Western North Carolina Conference of The Methodist Church and was ordained Deacon at the meeting of the Annual Conference. Subsequently, he was admitted into full membership in the Annual Conference and ordained an Elder in 1967.
At the completion of his formal education in 1965 Doug was appointed to his first church in the Wallburg Community of Davidson County. He subsequently was appointed to churches in Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Morganton, Elkin, again in Charlotte, then Asheville and Greensboro. He retired in 2000. In 2012 Doug served four months as interim pastor of Centenary UMC in Greensboro.Doug had a life-long passion for choral music. During the 70’s he sang with the Winston-Salem Symphony Chorale and also the chorus of several of the early productions of the Piedmont Opera Company. After retirement he returned to the Chorale and also sang with the Choral Society of Greensboro.
Doug is survived by his wife Patti of the home; daughter, Eliza Gilbert, of Hoboken, NJ and step-daughter, Elizabeth Hudgins (Patrick Cronin) of Raleigh; brother, Joe (Lillie Robinson) of Virginia Beach, VA; sister Emily Jean Gilbert (Randolph Jones, deceased) of Bethlehem PA; step-grandson, Aidan Cronin-Hudgins (Heather Mangrum, fiancée) of Raleigh; and his former wife, Beth Glass (Eliza’s mother) of Ft. Myers, FL. Many cousins with whom he maintained close relationship throughout his life also survive him.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made in Doug’s memory to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 607 N. Greene St., Greensboro, NC 27401 or the Winston-Salem Symphony, 301 N Main St Ste 1901, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.
Online condolences may be made at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com
