2B.  Judson Truman Gilbert was born in Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, on Friday, May 31, 1940, and died in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 24, 1985. He was buried in Los Gatos Memorial Park, Los Gatos, California. Bonita Steinke was born in Chicago, Illinois, on Thursday, July 1, 1943. They were married in Kalamazoo on Saturday, June 25, 1960. She took the name Bonita Gilbert. They were divorced 10 Sep 1965. He is the son of Truman Judson Gilbert and Dorothy Galbreath Gilbert. She is the daughter of Edmund and Anne (Koren) Steinke. They had two children:

His second marriage was to Patricia Stroud on Saturday, September 11, 1965. She took the name Patricia Gilbert. They had no children.

His third marriage was to Bonita Steinke in Hialeah, Florida, on Wednesday, June 25, 1975. She took the name Bonita Gilbert. See list of children, above.

His fourth marriage was to Lynn Olsen in Las Vegas on Friday, July 8, 1983. She took the name Lynn Gilbert. They had no children.

Judson Truman Gilbert

Judson, or Jud, as he was called, lived from birth until he graduated from high school at 2002 East Cork Street (previously numbered 1930), in the area called Milwood, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He very much enjoyed outdoor activities and participated in many sports, particularly baseball. Despite his outdoor bent, he played the tuba in the junior high school band for several years.

After graduating from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1958, Jud applied for admission to Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. A delayed response convinced him that he had not been accepted, so he joined the Air Force. Shortly after his enlistment, his acceptance letter arrived.

Jud was sent to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for basic training. He had the highest aptitude score in his group and was selected for surveillance equipment training in Denver, Colorado. His next assignment took him to Victorville, California, where he did maintenance on F104 fighter radar systems. He kept in close contact with his high school girl friend, Bonny, and returned to marry her in June of 1960. He had been taking instruction and theirs was a full Catholic wedding. Their first child was born in Victorville, where they lived until the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 when they were sent to Homestead Air Force Base in south Florida. Their second child was born here.

Life was not easy for the young couple; this young marriage was a sudden change that neither was prepared for. Bonny, a National Merit Scholar runner-up, had not completed high school and was now having to work as waitress in the base NCO club. They suffered a bitter separation and Bonny took the children to an unknown location outside of Florida. In the interim, Jud married Patricia Stroud who had a daughter, Susan; Bonny married _____ McDowell.

In 1966 Jud decided to leave the Air Force. He was very interested in the new and exciting field of computers and talks with his brother, Walt, who was already in the field, cinched the decision. His first civilian job was with Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard, Massachusetts, as field service engineer. Here he devised and taught an improved method for tuning computer memories.

Jud was eager to advance and moved to Orlando, Florida, as the field service supervisor for the State. This move also suited Pat who could not cope with New England winters. Here they raised siamese cats which won several prizes in cat shows. The new job entailed much driving to cover the entire State, often at unusual hours. To lighten his driving burden, Jud bought a Corvette sport car which he kept and maintain for many years. From that time on, he always owned a high-performance car for pleasure driving.

In April of 1969, Jud accepted a job doing computer-based research and development for the Psychobiology Research Center of The Florida State University in Tallahassee. He had many notable achievements in this creative environment, both in hardware and software. His concepts were always at the cutting edge of the technology and his results were always much more capable and sophisticated than originally called for. He and Pat were divorced during this time.

Geoffrey — Judson Bonny — Anita Florida ca. 1975

Next he went to work for ICC/Milgo in Miami, Florida, where he was a systems analyst in the develoment of modems and other communications equipment. Several of his developments were patented by the company. He progressed through head of the software design group to the manager of engineering of computer products to the manager of engineering of communications systems. Here he acquired a deep understanding of the importance of marketing and the powerful influence it had on product design and manufacture. During this time Jud was able to locate Bonny and their two children whom he had not seen for many years. After a cautious courtship, he and Bonny remarried.

Offered a more attractive position, Jud and the family moved to Newtown, Connecticut, to work for General Data Comm, also a manufacturer of communications equipment. One of Jud's most satisfying accomplishments while at GDC was leading the company softball team to the league championship. The softball autographed by all the members of the team remained one of his most prized possessions.

Again finding the New England climate a rude shock, and finding many of the promises of the new position unfulfilled, they soon moved to San Jose, California, for Jud to accept the position of vice president of engineering with Prentis Corporation. He usually worked 12 hours a day, arriving at work at 6:00 a.m. after a 30- to 45-minute drive, and not leaving until evening. He frequently went in on Saturdays and brought work home. Tiring of hardware and engineering, he changed to vice president of marketing. This required him to travel extensively making major presentations and organizing regional sales offices.

After some serious conflicts within the company, Jud left and went into business for himself as a communications consultant. He had an incredibly broad knowledge of the field and found his services in great demand. Jud was active in tennis, golf, skiing, and followed many other sports. The back yard of their house in San Jose was dominated by a swimming pool.

Jud and Bonny again separated and were divorced. Bonny moved to North Dakota and married Robert Kent; Jud married Lynn Olsen whom he had met at Prentis. By this time, Tina and Geoff were married and on their own but Lynn had four children and Jud revelled in being a father again. However, as much as he tried to spend more time at home, he was now an entrepreneur, active in several small businesses and always seeking new opportunities. During this time he suffered a myocardial infartion which he either was not aware of or chose not to disclose. It left a 2x4cm scar in the postero-lateral aspect of the left ventricle, as would be discovered later during his autopsy.

In mid November of 1985, Jud suffered severe chest pains but kept postponing treatment to follow his busy schedule, including a business trip to Paris to confirm an important business arrangement. He and Lynn attended a computer hardware convention and show in Las Vegas, Nevada, on about November 20th. During this time, his pains were so great that he had to sleep in a seated position. He promised Lynn that despite having no medical insurance, he would see a doctor Monday morning. On Sunday morning, November 24th, they arrived at the airport with ample time to spare before their flight, as was his custom. He was eating a hot dog at a concourse snack bar when he suffered a heart attack. He slumped to the floor and was unable to get up. Prompt paramedic attention was unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead at 12:07 noon in the Desert Springs Hospital emergency room. A complete autopsy was performed and the opinion of the coroner was "that the decedent, Judson Truman Gilbert, came to his death as the result of acute coronary insufficiency, due to coronary artery sclerosis. Contributing conditions: healed myocardial infarct." He was 45 years old.

His death was completely unexpected by his family. He had visited his brother, Walt, in Maryland the preceeding month and showed no signs of trouble. On the contrary, he was quite energetic for his 240-pound weight. The eulogy read at his funeral was written by his wife's sister, Ruth Summers.

Judson Gilbert was a friend, a husband, a father, a father to those who never had a father, a grandfather, a son, and an uncle very much loved. He gave his love and knowledge to those around him. His smile was something that could brighten the dreariest days. His patience was to be uncompared.

He was a man of intellect and pride. His pride was of his family and his friends more so than himself. He was a man of strength, courage, and understanding.

Everything Jud got involved in, he did wholeheartedly. He once said: "I wish God would give me a woman's brain for one hour just so I could figure out how it works." He was interested in everything and everyone around him.

Jud Gilbert was loved and respected by all who knew him. He is close to our hearts.

We needed him, we depended on him, and we loved him.

Thank you, Lord, for the time we had with him. May everyone have a person like Jud in their life.

The Social Security Death Index gives Jud's SSN as 367-40-6787 and confirms his birth and death dates. His last address was 4901 Tonino Dr.; San Jose, CA 95136; (408)978-0603.

• Close family knowledge
• Birth and death certificates