Ray Hans Gilbertson, 76, passed away Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016. He was born to Hans and Helvi Gilbertson as their only child May 23, 1939 in Chehalis, Washington.
He was a lifelong Chehalis resident, where he graduated from W.F. West High School in 1957, married his wife, Judy and raised a family of four children. He worked for Boeing for a few years out of high school. From Boeing, he went to work at Weyerhaeuser, where he found his passion in the woods. Ray worked as a timber cutter and learned to operate a shovel. After working 20 plus years at Weyerhaeuser, he operated shovel in three different logging camps in Alaska. Some of the best memories his grandchildren have are picking Grandpa up from the airport, where he would arrive with goodies and tip them to lug his bags to Grandma’s Cadillac.
Ray always had a passion for fast cars. He picked up his future wife from a dance hall in Adna in his brand new 1957 Pontiac. Ray and Judy married April 3, 1959. They had four children, Bobbi, Mike, Danny and Kenny. He had an extreme love for the outdoors. It was common for the family to be gone every weekend fishing, bird hunting with the family’s Labrador Retrievers, trapping, hunting deer and elk, smelting, camping and drag racing. The camping memories continue on with his grandchildren. He loved to take them down to the beach and up to the mountains on horseback. He taught them how to dig clams and fish high mountain lakes. In his later years, he really enjoyed clam digging with his two best friends Bill (Bumble) and Larry Lusk. Many people shared good laughs while enjoying his home brew, during warm summer evenings out on the patio.
Ray was preceded in death by his mother and father; son, Daniel; and grandson, Brandon.
He is survived by his wife, Judy; daughter, Bobbi (Joe) Ahmann; sons, Michael Gilbertson and Kenneth (Cindy) Gilbertson; grandchildren, Chance, Tyler and Jayme Ahmann, Andra (Mike) Hankins, Ridge Gilbertson, Mackenzie and Cheyenne Gilbertson, Gage, Gannon and Gracie Madill; two great-grandchildren, Savannah and Adelyn Hankins.
The family wants to give a special thanks to Hope McClothlen for her helping hand in Ray’s last year. Ray will rest peacefully beside his beloved horses, Archie and BillyBob.
A celebration of life will be held Feb. 27, 2016 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Ray and Judy's house, 137 Taylor Rd., Chehalis, WA 98532.
