Emma Kathryn Fuller Gilbert, age 94, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 2, 2019, with her daughter, son-in-law and great granddaughter at her side. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother & great-great-grandmother. Emma was born in Media, PA, the daughter of Kathryn Pearl Schuster Fuller & John Francis Fuller, deceased in 1967 and 1959 respectively.
Emma graduated from Lansdowne High School, Lansdowne, PA, as an honor roll student in 1942 and was employed by the Bell Telephone Company in Philadelphia in the Accounting Department as a billing clerk until 1950. She was an eleven-year adult volunteer for the Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay serving as a very active & dedicated Leader of Cadette Troop 109 at Calvary United Presbyterian Church in Richardson Park. Emma was an active volunteer in the Richardson Park P.T.A., the Conrad High School P.T.A. & Band Boosters, a charter member of Crestmoor Swim Club and a member of Calvary United Presbyterian Church in the ’50’s & ’60’s.
She was also active in the McKean P.T.A & McKean High School Band Boosters. She was a member of Westminster Swim Club, Mid-County Senior Center and a senior member of Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church. Emma was a substitute teacher at Richardson Park School and subsequently for surrounding schools; a member of Busy Bees Homemakers Club, Delawanderers Camping Club, Country Side Garden Club and a member of the Model A’s Tennis Club.
She enjoyed doing cruel embroidery, sewing, movies, dancing, swimming, camping, playing shuffleboard & tennis, winning numerous trophies in her category. She loved traveling the United States and abroad including numerous cruises to the tropics. Emma had a huge interest in history and the Presidents of the United States, and with her husband visited many Presidential Libraries in the country.
She worked for the Board of Elections as a Republican Clerk and Inspector for over two decades at Cokesbury Polling Place. Emma is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Carol E. Ford & William H. Ford of Bear, DE; son, Roger R. Gilbert of Sugar Land, TX; grandson Richard D. King, III and wife Jennifer L. King of Lewes, DE; grandson Jason Joseph Duncan and wife Jessica L. Duncan of Newark, DE; great-granddaughter, Sherry Anne Marie VanHekle and husband Kevin Jacob VanHekle of Middletown, DE and great-great grandsons, Kevin Jacob VanHekle, Jr., and Lee Axton VanHekle also of Middletown, DE. She was pre-deceased by her parents Kathryn Pearl Schuster Fuller and John Francis Fuller; her husband of 65 1/2 years Raymond V. Gilbert; daughter, Janet L. Gilbert; granddaughter Kristi Michele Duncan; and her sister Kathryn Patricia Fuller Scheerer.
Our family would like to thank the entire staff, nurses and aides of Hammond Wing at Regal Heights Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Hockessin, DE, for the love and outstanding compassionate care given to our Mother for over four years. A memorial service to celebrate Emma’s life will be held at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, 2019 with a reception following in Fellowship Hall at Red Clay Church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions may be made in Emma’s memory to Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay Council, Attn: Family Partnership c/o Eileen Pelham, Northern Re Center, 225 Old Baltimore Pike, Newark, DE 19702; or to Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church, 500 McKennan’s Church Road, Wilmington, DE 19808.
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