Lula Mae Gilbert

Lula Mae Gilbert was born Jan. 14, 1920, in Arcadia, Utah, to Franklin and Hattie Mae (Todd) Horrocks. She was the youngest of seven children, brothers: Ray Horrocks, Clarence Horrocks, LaVon Horrocks and Grant Horrocks and two sisters, Bessie Feitkau and Ida Foy. She lived in Arcadia most of her life, a small farming community in eastern Utah. The Gilbert family also lived in Arcadia, so Glen has known her since she was 4 or 5. She graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1938.

She married Glen A. Gilbert July 22, 1941, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Shortly after he was drafted. The newlyweds moved to Fort Lewis on Dec. 7. The war broke out and everyone in the barracks was in a panic wondering if the Puget Sound would be attacked next. One month later, Glen was shipped overseas to Melbourne, Australia. After Glen left, Lula went back to Arcadia to live with her family. When he was home on leave they were sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple.

They soon started their large family. Raymond and Carolyn were born while Glen was in the service. By the time the war was over and Glen was home for good, Raymond was 3 years old and wanted nothing to do with him. Soon followed Maxine, Aurilla, Joyce and Reva. At this time they were living in Myton, Utah.

Glen heard the Columbia Basin was opening up farm land in Washington state. He was able to get a 60 acre unit in block 49 and was excited to move to Washington. He came up a couple of months early and lived with Jay and Betty Jenkins while he cleared the sagebrush and built their little two bedroom home on Bench Road. Then he packed up the family of six kids and Lula, 8 months pregnant with Jim, and moved to Othello in May of 1954.

This had to be a very hard time for Lula. She left her new house that they had just lived in for a few years to come to Othello and pioneer a new land. When Jim was born a month later, she stayed with a family in town for two weeks before returning home. Sandy, LuAnn and Sheila came during the next 5 years. So now the family was complete with eight daughters and two sons.

Lula was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served two missions with her husband, Glen, in Atlanta, Ga., and Albuquerque, N.M., served in the Seattle Temple and was a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. She loved sports of any kind and played on the ladies softball team at age 52. She raised a huge garden and canned hundreds of quarts of food each summer. She enjoyed being with her family.

Lula was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers and two sisters. She is survived by her husband, Glen, of 67 years and Raymond (Lillie) Gilbert, Carolyn (Dale) Beus, Maxine (Garf) Ivory, Aurilla (Gary) Christensen, Joyce (John) McNeil, Reva (Ron) Fowles, Sandy (Casey) Goodwin, LuAnn (Bart) Mackay and Sheila (Greg) Mackay, as well as 46 grandchildren, 83 great-granchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

Services include a visitation from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, and Saturday at 9 a.m., with the funeral service at 10 a.m., all being held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Seventh Avenue Chapel in Othello. Interment to follow at Bess Hampton Memorial Gardens.

Please leave a note for the family and view the obituary at www.carverfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Lula’s family asked Carver Family Funeral Home, Othello to care for the arrangements.