Marie A Gilbert

Marie was born in November 18, 1928, in Maud, Oklahoma. Although born in a small town of Oklahoma, Marie spent her childhood growing up in Byers, Texas. She graduated from Byers High School and then attended Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri.

Marie met Johnny Gilbert in church at Byers Assembly of God and they married in 1951 in Duncan, Oklahoma. They were married for 68 years. Johnny enlisted in the Air Force in 1951 and together Marie and Johnny would spend the next 28 years raising a family and taking many tours here in the states and around the world. The many places the Air Force took them was Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Hawaii, Okinawa, North Carolina to then retire in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Marie worked at Sears and Roebuck as a bookkeeper and later at Lad's Children's Shoe Center, and then the Mardels in Wichita Falls. She also taught preschool at her church's preschool in Okinawa. Marie was an accomplished pianist and organist and would play the piano and organ in most every church they attended through the years in leading praise and worship. Marie also taught Sunday school for adults and teens for many years. However, the most important role to Marie was that of wife, mother and grandmother.

Marie loved and followed Jesus all her days and lovingly modeled and taught her family and friends to do the same. You couldn't have a conversation with Marie for too long before she was expressing the goodness of God to you, offering to pray with you, and telling you that she was standing in faith with you for God's best for your family. She exemplified a pioneering spirit having grown up on a ranch with her parents but, you could see how the same pioneering spirit translated to her steadfast and unyielding love of Jesus...even to the planting of three churches she and Johnny would help to begin in the places the Air Force sent them in their many tours.

In her later years, Marie loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, playing the piano at Rolling Meadows Retirement Community in their church services and continuing to love Jesus and talk and about Him with her friends and family.

Marie was preceded in death by her husband, Johnny, her parents, Alva and Cora Choate, her sister Atha Westbrook, and two grandchildren.

She is survived by her son, Johnny Wayne Gilbert of Wichita Falls, Texas, daughter Debra Nan Worell of Hickory, North Carolina, daughter Donna Marie Phillips of Nashville, Tennessee, eight grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, brother Kern Choate and sister-in-law Eddie Faye Choate, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 10-11 am Thursday, December 1, at Hampton Vaughan Crestview Memorial Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 11 am, Thursday, December 1, at Hampton Vaughan Crestview Memorial Funeral Home with burial following at Crestview Memorial Park.

The family wish to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff at The Gables at Rolling Meadows Retirement Community and to the staff at Hospice of Wichita Falls for the love and care provided to Marie.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hamptonvaughancrestview.com for the Gilbert family.