Nancy J. Gilbert

Gilbert, Nancy J. nee Blomquist, 67, of St. Petersburg, died on September 20, 2004 at her home with the family with her. She was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, of parents Reynold and Betty Blomquist, both deceased. She was an airline stewardess from 1960 until she married John T. Gilbert, an airline pilot, in 1964 and they lived in Alexandria, Virginia until moving to Snell Island in St. Petersburg in 1974. She is survived by her husband John, son Jonathan Gilbert of St. Petersburg, daughter Heidi Gilbert Smith and her husband Michael Smith, and grandson Benjamin Smith of Tampa, daughter Cheryl Gilbert and grandchildren Melissa and Jason Fisher of Pitman, New Jersey, a sister Barbara Blomquist Zagaria and her husband James Zagaria of Pinellas Park. She was a full time mother, parent, and loving friend of all her family that will miss her patience, true generosity and complete love. She liked cooking, traveling the world, enjoyed many cruises they had taken, and boating. They lived aboard a boat for over 10 years a while back and when she and John moved ashore again, she stated many times how she missed the water and boating. They became RV travelers and toured America for several years. She was a devoted servant of Jesus Christ and attended First United Methodist Church downtown. She sang with the First Light Praise Team at the church and will have her cremated ashes interred in the columbarium jointly with her husband, when he dies, in a niche at the church. She stated several months ago that there were no regrets in her life and there was nothing she would have done different. She loved all animals and had a family dog that shared her passion of loving everything and everyone. She adopted a wolf from the Defenders of Wildlife Federation. She was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority, the St. Petersburg Yacht club, the Awesome Second Time Arounders Marching Band, a member of the Golden Wings Association of Flight Attendants and the wives chapter of the Soaring Eagles retired pilots of USAirways, a member of Family Motor Coach Assn., and Beaver Motor Coach Ambassadors Club of RV?s. Her family wishes, in lieu of flowers, a donation to the American Cancer Society, the Pinellas Chapter of Hospice, or the charity of your choice in Nancy?s memory. A memorial service will be held on October 2nd at the First United Methodist Church, 3rd St. & 2nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg, at 1:00 p.m. Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home-Ninth Street Chapel.