Gordon Edward Gilbert

Gordon Gilbert (93) of Eden Prairie passed away peacefully on June 7, 2025.

Gordon was born in Chippewa Falls, WI on February 6, 1932, and graduated from Chippewa Falls High School. He attended University of WI-Eau Claire for two years and then served in the US Navy from 1952-1956. For two of those years, he was stationed in Port Lyautey, Moracco, assigned to Fleet Weather Control. He went on to finish his schooling at the University of WI-Madison and graduated in 1958.

He then moved to California where he met and married the love of his life, Sarah “June”. In the early 1960s they moved to Minneapolis to be closer to family.

Gordon spent most of his professional career, until his retirement in 1992, at Northwest Airlines as the Director of Risk Management. He loved every aspect of the ever-changing and challenging job of managing the complex risks of the 6th largest airline in the world. To all who interacted with Gordon, he was known for his integrity, his intense loyalty to Northwest, and his kind and calm demeanor, no matter the situation.

Gordon was a long-time member of St Andrew Lutheran Church, the Eden Prairie Lion’s Club, and Mixed Nuts Group where he especially loved attending their bi-annual fishing trips. He played in bocce ball and golf leagues and was also a volunteer for many organizations. He and June loved travelling around the world and enjoyed spending their winters in Destin, FL.

He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 61 years, June, who passed away in 2023, and his sisters Doris LeMay, and Carol Magill -who just passed away three weeks before him.

He is survived by his daughters, Janelle Steinman (Peter) and Laurelle Clarke; brother Jim Gilbert (WA), grandsons Alexander Steinman and Andrew Steinman, several nieces and nephews and many wonderful friends.

We will all miss his zest for life, his friendly demeanor, and his wonderful sense of humor.

Special thanks to Summit Place, Assisting Hands, and Brighton Hospice for taking such loving care of him in his final phases of life.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 13600 Technology Drive Eden Prairie, on Wednesday June 18th at 1:00PM, with a visitation starting at 12:00PM. Fellowship/goodies to follow service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to St. Andrew Lutheran Church or the Eden Prairie Lions Foundation PO Box 44364 Eden Prairie, MN 55344.