William "Gene" Gilbert

William “Gene” Gilbert, 88 of Salem, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, June 14, 2026.

Gene was born on January 30, 1938, in Wythe County, Va., son of the late William Frank and Mildred Russell Gilbert. He proudly served his country in the US Army and would later continue to serve as an employee of the Salem VA Medical Center where he later retired. As a man of faith, he proudly served and made numerous friendships over the years at Bethel Baptist, where his membership resided. As a devoted husband, Gene enjoyed life to its fullest alongside his bride and best friend, Sandy. She was the apple of his eye and they enjoyed life together.

In addition to his parents, Gene was preceded in death by his brother, Carlton L. Gilbert.

Family remaining to cherish his memory includes his wife of 60 years, Sandra Radford “Sandy” Gilbert; sisters, Freda Eller (Bill) and Loretta Bland; brother, Wayne Gilbert (Donna); and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will welcome friends for a period of visitation on Friday, June 19, 2026, from 10:00 until 11 a.m. at John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home, in Salem. Funeral services will begin directly following, starting at 11:00 a.m., in the funeral homes chapel. Pastor Hilton Jeffreys will officiate. Interment will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens in Roanoke.

Flowers will be accepted, or donations may be made in Gene's memory to Bethel Baptist Church, C/O Food Pantry Fund, or Building Fund, 1601 S Colorado St, Salem, VA 24153.

The family would like to extend their thanks to the medical and nursing staff at the VA Medical center, as well as the Hospice Care staff, for the love and care they received during Gene’s stay.

Online condolences may be expressed to the Gilbert family by visiting www.johnmoakey.com.