San Joaquin County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....Gilson, William Robert August 17 2004 ********************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/usgenweb/obits/obitsca/obitsca.htm ********************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Cheryl Davis-Holman Cis1052@aol.com August 21, 2004, 10:00 am The Record August 19, 2004 Stockton William Robert Gilson August 22, 1942 - August 17, 2004 Bill was born in Worcester, Mass, and raised on the East Coast. He took his undergraduate degree at Rutgers University in New Jersey, his graduate degree at The University of Hawaii and his second graduate degree at Thunderbird School of International Management in Phoenix, AZ. He was a commercial Realtor and was Real Estate manager for Douglas Oil Co., Jack In The Box and Wick land Oil Co. prior to being in business for himself with the R.A. Prater Co. in Sacramento. He is survived by his loving wife of 28 years, Jackie and stepchildren, Larry Vermeulen of St. Helena, John Vermeulen of Stockton and Debbie Morris of Stockton; grandchildren, Andrea Morris and Michael Morris of Stockton, John Vermeulen and Laura Vermeulen of St. Helena and Blake Vermeulen of Fairbanks, Alaska; his parents, Tom and Marie Gilson of Sacramento; brother, Tom Gilson of Jenson Beach, Florida; sister, Marie Pickel of Poulsbo Washington; nieces, Annie Gilson Poag, Patricia Gilson Kishman, Katie Gilson and Jennie Clark and nephews, Mathew Pickel and Carl Pickel. Bill moved to Stockton from Costa Mesa in 1976 and shortly thereafter purchased a 25 acre farm outside Lodi where for 20 years he raised apples and walnuts and bred prize winning Labrador Retrievers under the kennel name "Shelterwood". Bill competed successfully in field competitions with his Labradors and was rarely seen without at least one of his Labs at his side. His greatest joy was attaining the rarefied titles of not only AKC Master Hunter but of Grand Master Hunting Retriever Champion with his Lab "Moose". "Moose:", handled exclusively by Bill, was only the 48th dog to attain the GMHRCH title in the history of the North American Hunting Retriever Association. Bill was known as someone who was never too busy to help a new-comer to the world of Hunt Tests or to volunteer at his clubs compe-titions. He was a qualified judge of NAHRA Hunt Tests. Bill was a founding member of Central California Labrador Retriever Rescue, a founding member and longtime president of Delta Islands Hunting Retriever Club, a member of the Monterey Bay Hunting Retriever Club and the Golden Gate Labrador Retriever Club. When Bill was not working with his Labradors he was playing tennis and his awesome serve was feared and admired by all his tennis buddies. Family and friends are invited to attend a Vigil Service on Thursday, August 19, 2004 at the DeYoung Shoreline Chapel, 7676 Shoreline Drive, Stockton, 95219 at 6:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, August 20, at Church of the Presentation, 1515 W. Benjamin Holt Drive, Stockton, 95207 at 10:00 a.m. Visitation will be held Thursday from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the DeYoung Shoreline Chapel. Committal: San Joaquin Catholic Cemetery. Memorials to Central California Labrador Retriever Rescue, 212 Putnam Ct., Vacaville, CA 95687 or Hospice of San Joaquin, 3888 Pacific Ave., Stockton, CA 95204. File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/sanjoaquin/obits/ob858gilson.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/caobfiles/ File size: 3.7 Kb