Barbara Lusty Gilbert

Barbara Lusty Gilbert, 88, of Othello, passed away on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at the Avalon Care Center, surrounded by her family.

Barbara was born on July 13, 1921, in Duschesne, Utah to Robert S. and LaVera (Murdock) Lusty. She attended high school in Roosevelt, Utah and earned a bachelors degree in Home Economics at Brigham Young University. While in high school, Barbara met Garn Lamar Gilbert. On November 14, 1944, Garn and Barbara were married and sealed in the Salt Lake Temple of the LDS Church. Garn served in WWII and Barbara went to work for a bank in Roosevelt, Utah until Garn’s discharge. They lived in Arcadia until 1958 when they moved to the Columbia Basin to farm, settling in Othello. In 1965, they were asked by the Ore-Ida Company to move to Greenville, Michigan to grow potatoes. They returned to Othello in 1966 and resumed their farming. In 1989, Barbara and Garn served an LDS Mission in Philadelphia, PA, and in 1992, they departed for the second mission in Birmingham, AL. In 1996, Garn suffered a debilitating stroke and from that point until her death Barbara devoted her life to taking care of him and their family.

Barbara’s greatest passion was her family and she was happiest when she was serving them. She knew each of her children and grandchildren individually and intimately and there was never a birthday that was forgotten by her. She loved to cook, garden, quilt and sew. Her vegetable gardens were the source of many wonderful meals of fresh and canned vegetables, and her flower bed flourished. She loved to read and do crossword puzzles. Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the recipients of many handmade quilts and scores of wonderful meals. She extended her love of service well beyond her family as she visited the sick and lonely, usually with a meal or loaf of fresh homemade bread.

Barbara was a long-time member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Othello Second Ward. In that capacity, she served in Primary and Relief Society Presidencies as well as many teaching positions. In addition to their missions, she and Garn served as ordinance workers in the Seattle Temple for several years. Toward the end of her life, as long as she was physically able, she drove carpools of elderly ladies on weekly trips to the Columbia River Temple in Richland.

Barbara is preceded in death by her parents and all nine of her siblings. She is survived by her husband Garn of Othello, her sons, Gerald (Teresa), Robert (Kathleen) both of Othello, Neil (Susan) of Mt. Vernon, IA, and Douglas (Sharon) of Kalamazoo, MI, her daughters Rosalie (Douglas) Wilkinson of Salt Lake City, UT, Elaine (Brad) Risenmay of Othello, and Linda (Charles) Regalado of Spokane, 30 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held on Friday, May 28, 2010 at Stevens Funeral Chapel from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., and again on Saturday, May 29, 2010 at the LDS Stake Center in Othello, from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. A celebration of Barbara’s life will follow at the Stake Center at 10 a.m. and will conclude with interment at Bess Hampton Memorial Gardens. Memorials are suggested to the LDS Church Humanitarian Fund through an LDS Bishop or www.lds.org. To sign the guest book and leave a note for the family, please visit stevensfuneralchapel.com. Services are entrusted to Stevens Funeral Chapel.