Michael R. Gilbert of Kennesaw, Georgia passed away on July 8, 2023. A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 12, at 11:00 AM at First United Lutheran Church, 3481 Campus Loop Rd.,  Kennesaw, GA 30144.

Mike was born January 11, 1941 in Keokuk, Iowa to Raymond and Vivian (Huff) Gilbert. His childhood was spent in Keokuk which is bordered on the west  by the Mississippi and the south by the Des Moines Rivers. It wasn't unusual to find him at the family fishing camp during summers, swimming, fishing, and exploring. Winters, he was occupied with ice skating, sledding, and throwing snowballs with friends and his sisters and cousins.

Mike graduated from Keokuk High School in the class of 1960 and went on to Keokuk Community College majoring in pre-engineering and then on to the University of Iowa to get his B.S. in Civil Engineering. He paid for 80% of his own education by working. He took a train to Idaho one summer to join a surveying crew in the U.S. Forest Service. Back in Keokuk, he served a carpenter apprenticeship with the R.L. Patton Construction Co. in 1961 and 1962. He also worked for Stanley Engineering in Muscatine, Iowa in the design department, summers and for the Shive-Hall-Mattery Engineering in Iowa City, drafting and soil testing in 1965. He was hired to teach an undergraduate calculus class while at the university.

Mike graduated from the University of Iowa June 10, 1966 and had been recruited by Lockheed-Georgia for the C-5A design work. After 7 years he went to work as a structural engineer for Simons Eastern Consultant Engineering. He was registered as a professional engineer in 10 states and enjoyed building paper mills, power plants, and numerous manufacturing establishments until his retirement in 2009. He was a member of Theta Tau fraternity, the AS of E and ASCE.

His hobbies included vegetable gardening, tennis, running his boat on the nearby lakes, rivers and the Gulf, water skiing, swimming, fishing and camping with his family and friends, and woodworking. After raising two boys, Mike and his wife enjoyed traveling and meeting new friends. He was a friend to all and loved to talk to people and learn new things. He would freely offer to help neighbors with his building skills and loved the challenge of repairing broken items.

One of his greatest joys was playing tennis, chess and pool with his grandson and getting up and making pancakes together after the nights William stayed over.

Mike is survived by his wife of 55 years, Lois (Perry) Gilbert; sons, Mark Gilbert, Johns Creek, GA; Todd Gilbert (Lucy), Roswell, GA; grandson, William Gilbert; sisters, Janet Millmeyer; Gail Adams; 2 nieces, 1 nephew, a grandniece, a grandnephew and 2 great-grandnephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to First United Lutheran Church .