Ralph M. Gilstrap

Ralph McKensie (Mack) Gilstrap, of Fort Lauderdale, died January 7, 2016. He was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, a 60 year resident of South Florida, and was well known in the Coral Gables community for over 25 years. He held numerous leadership positions as president of the Coral Gables Rotary Club, President-Elect of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of the Coral Gables Economic Development Board. He was also an active member of the Junior Orange Bowl Committee, the University Club and many other civic associations in and around Coral Gables.

Mack graduated from University of Florida in 1952 with a BSBA Degree, where he was a scholastic athlete, playing center for the university football team. He went to work for Southern Bell, where he worked his way through the ranks to Operations Manager - Corporate and External Affairs for Dade County. He retired after 33 years and became Director of Alumni Affairs, helping to raise money for the University of Florida. Mack was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served in the Navy during the Korean War era.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Lamor Gilstrap. He is survived by his three children, Glenn Gilstrap of Fontana, WI; Janet Gilstrap of Broward County and Sheryl Gilstrap Matton, of Atlanta, GA, and his three grandchildren, Daniel and Julia Gilstrap, of Fontana, WI and Caroline Matton of Atlanta, GA.

A memorial service will be held at Fred Hunter's Downtown Fort Lauderdale Funeral Home, 718 S Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL at 3pm, Saturday, January 30th, 2016. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Heart Association