Tommy Charles Gilbert

Tommy Charles Gilbert, of Longview, passed away May 27th, 2022, after reaching the age of 78 years old. After 2 years of health struggles, he passed away peacefully in his home of Longview, WA.

Tommy was born at home, in Manson Washington to Leota and Thomas Gilbert on July 23, 1943. Whether running through the orchards near home or playing in the mountains, he loved growing up in this small rural community. Chances are, in the summertime, if you wanted to find Tom, he was in the orchard, swimming in Lake Chelan, or sometimes diving off the cliffs at the Cove, across the lake. Tommy married Carolyn Bradley, of Manson, with whom he had his three children, Penny, LeAnn, and David. He spent his last 46 years married to his soulmate, Katherine Gilbert (Burris) of Bloomington, Indiana.

As a young man, Tom excelled in strong work ethics, starting as an apple picker in the orchards of Manson during his high school years, and working various jobs in California and Ohio before settling in Longview, WA. After several years of working construction in Longview, he earned his Pipefitter Journeyman’s Certificate. In 1978, Tom and his brother, Jimmy, also a Pipefitter/Welder, started their own pipe fabrication company, Pacific Mechanical, Inc. With a lot of hard work, long hours, and a many shared laughs, PMI became a successful, well-respected company. After ten years, Jimmy went another direction in entrepreneurship, and Tom’s son, David, also became a journeyman pipefitter. With much love and respect for one another, the father-son duo ran Pacific Mechanical for over two decades, until David passed away in 2013.

In 1976, Tommy devoted his life to Jehovah, and has since spent his life helping others and spreading his faith to people all over the world and was an active Elder of the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. As an avid sports enthusiast, he was a big fan of the University of Washington Football, and enjoyed season tickets with his son, David, grandson, Andre, and friends throughout the past few decades. His voluminous backyard of fruit trees such as apples, plums, pears, peaches, figs, elderberries, bananas, blueberries, grapes, kiwi, and other unique plants displayed his immense passion for gardening, while his bedroom showed his love and appreciation for western art.

Tom is preceded in death by his parents, Leota and Thomas Gilbert, his sister, Mary Jones, and son, David Gilbert.

Tommy is survived by his wife, Katherine Gilbert, of 46 years; two daughters, Penny Gilbert-Baker and LeAnn Smith; brother, Jimmy Gilbert and sister, Delores Faught; his stepdaughters, Sherryl Meyers and Sheila Durham; daughter-in-law, Tracey Gilbert; ten grandchildren, Adam, Myriah, Amber, Logan, Andre, Aleetia, Kristina, Dustin, Jessica, and Izzy; and one great grandchild, Viola Brooks, with another great grandchild currently on the way.

Tom Gilbert was a kind, caring, hardworking, wonderful man that is loved and missed by so many.

A private family service will be held.