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PostHeaderIcon THEODORE GILBERT of AMHERST, MA, July 10, 1914 – July 22, 2013

THEODORE GILBERT

AMHERST, Theodore Gilbert, of Baltimore and more recently, Amherst MA, died July 22 in Amherst with his family at his side.  Just 12 days earlier, he had been the life of the party as family and friends celebrated his 99th birthday.

Ted was born in 1914 in Ithaca, NY, to Celia and Isaac Ginsberg.  He grew up mostly in Washington, DC, with a few years’ interlude when his father worked in Key West, Florida. His stories from that time revolved around never-ending battles against snakes and mosquitoes. 

A pharmacist who worked in several drugstores over the years and retired from the University of Maryland Hospital Pharmacy in Baltimore, he was a lifelong hobbyist whose interests knew no bounds.  In the 1950s he built a car engine from scratch that he installed in a rattletrap Studebaker body.  The “Teddybaker” got plenty of odd looks but easily transported the family from Baltimore to the Mexican border and back.

Ted was an avid gardener and at various times took up painting, mandolin, and guitar.  He built clocks, radios, and a prized stereo system from kits.  His passion for woodworking resulted in countless tables, chairs, shelves, lamps, trays, and knickknacks now gracing the homes of family members.

Once he retired, Ted had more time to indulge his social and political interests.  He was an ardent union man and could be found at meetings and marches in the pursuit of peace and social justice.  He was a devoted fan of limericks, Robert Burns, “Hamlet,” Mozart’s clarinet concerto, “The Three Penny Opera,” Woody Guthrie, and Pete Seeger.  If Ted were to serve as an example, anyone seeking longevity would do well to feast on a steady diet of donuts, potato chips, and chocolate.

Ted was predeceased by his parents, his sister Vita Schach, and his first wife Anita Kanner Gilbert.  He will be deeply missed and remembered with great love by his wife Magda Gilbert of Baltimore; his daughter and son-in-law Lynn and Leonard Lempel of Daytona Beach; his son and daughter-in-law Mark and Nancy Gilbert of Amherst, with whom he lived for the last six years; stepson Louis Shillman of Austin TX; stepdaughter Ilona Shillman of Los Angeles; granddaughter Erica (Scott) Fisher of Belchertown MA; grandson Tom Gilbert of Las Vegas; grandson Brian (Diana) Lempel of Cambridge MA; step-grandson Grant Garson of New York City; and the lights of his life for the past four years, great-grandsons Charlie and Leo Fisher. In addition Ted will be missed by extended family Wayne Guider and his wife Daryl Ann Hornyak, many cousins, and special friends Carlos and Mary Santiago, Jane Kristal and Don Towsley, Pearl-Anne and Nathan Margalit, and Andrea Cutrumbes.  A special thank you is extended to Ted’s special caregivers through the past 5 years Margie and Karen, and also to the staff at the Center for Extended Care at Amherst who lovingly cared for Ted during the past 2 months.

Donations may be made in Ted’s memory to La Paz Centro Nicaragua Sister City Committee c/o Kathleen Mullin, Treasurer, 39 Mill Lane, Amherst, MA 01002

A celebration of his life is planned for the fall. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.

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