Ida Maybelle Gilbert

Ida MayBelle Keith Gilbert, 82, passed away February 14, 2017 in Ness City, Kansas. She was born to Dorwood and Mary (Fleming) Keith, November 18, 1934, Rural Morland, Kansas. She was the youngest of eight children. Ida May attended grade school in Morland, and worked at the restaurant in town. She was quite athletic, she played on the Morland Woman’s Softball Team. She remembered playing the Hill City team when Lily Welty played. Then through her high school years, she worked on weekends and in the summer for Bill and Henrietta McNabb at their café in Hill City. On August 4, 1953, she married Harold Lee Gilbert in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After graduating from high school, Ida and Harold moved to Hill City, where she started a full time waitress job. At one time, she was a roving waitress, working at one café one day and another the next day. At that time, there were four restaurants in Hill City. During these years, she played on a Hill City soft ball teams for several years coached by Mort Plunkett. She and Harold had four children: Harold Lee Gilbert Jr., Clarence Darwood Gilbert, Shane Dwayne Gilbert and, Cecilia LeAnn Gilbert; two step daughters: Sherri Lee and Janice Lee. She enjoyed the children’s sports and school activities. She was a member of the Plainville V.F.W. Auxiliary for over 50 years. She was a charter member of the WaKeeney Fraternal Order of Eagles, chartered in June 1977. She was also a member of the Hill City Civil Air Patrol until moving to Utica, Kansas. After moving to Utica she kept the Daily Schedule of the oil well production, that Harold worked as a pumper, at times doing what Harold did when he was unable to work. After breaking her knee cap and several surgeries when back on her feet, she drove to Quinter to work at a cap making factory for a year, then working at the café in Utica as a cook and waitress for several years until she retired. She was preceeded in death by her husband of 43 years, son Clarence , her parents; parents in law, three sisters: Hilda Sage, Lola Acheson, and Mabel Hunsicker; four brothers: Luther, Claude, Dale and Keith. She is survived by her sons: Harold Lee Jr. and Shane Dwayne; one daughter Cecilia LeAnn, two step-daughters: Sherry Lee and Janice Lee; ten grandchildren, two great granddaughter, one sister-in-law, Ellen Keith and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and friends. She will be missed by all who knew her. Visitation will be from 2 – 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 23, followed by Fraternal Order of Eagles memorial service at 7:30 p.m. at Stinemetz Funeral Home. Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, February 24, at Stinemetz Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the family in care of the funeral home.