Johnny Lee Gilbert

Johnny Lee Gilbert was born to Ernest and Queen Ester Gilbert on May 14th 1941 in Cuthbert, Georgia. He passed away peacefully after fighting a long illness on December 25, 2017 at Christiana Care Hospital in Newark, Delaware. Johnny Lee attended Shellman Vocational School in Shellman, Georgia. As an adult he worked at King Cole Canning Company for 29 years and Cargill/Paramount/ Allen’s as a Sanitation technician for 16 years before he retired. Johnny Lee has played the guitar all of his life and spent his retirement years playing for several churches and upon request. He gave guitar lessons to family and friends and was known for taking long walks around Milton. He loved to drive and would take anyone anywhere they needed to be. He was Uber and Lyft before Uber and Lyft got started. He loved talking to people; everyone was a friend. Family was very important to him. Not only did he love and cherish his own family but he loved and respected his wife’s family as well. To Sara Hill, he loved you dearly. He was preceded in death by his mother, Queen Ester Gilbert, father, Ernest Gilbert Sr., two brothers, Eddie and Ernest Gilbert Jr., and nephew, Bernard McSwain. Johnny Lee is survived by his wife of 52 years, Marjorie Gilbert, surviving sister, Mattie Ree McSwain, his seven children, Alvin Hill (Nichole), Coolsprings, DE, Johnny Hill, Milford,DE, Cathy Hill, Manhattan, NY, Wanda Howell, Bowie, MD , Ernest Gilbert, Dover, DE, Queena Gilbert, East Brunswick, NJ, and Jene Duffy, Lewes, DE; his honorary brothers Joe Lewis and J. W. Wendall, a nephew, three nieces, sixteen grandchildren, twenty-nine great-grandchildren, a host of great nieces and nephews , and a close friend, Marvin Duffy, Rehoboth, DE. Johnny Lee has lived a long and fulfilling life with many blessings and memories to cherish. He will be missed by all. Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, January 6, 2018 12 noon at Mt. Zion Holiness Church 325 Front Street Milton, Delaware 19968 with a two hour viewing prior to the service. To offer words of comfort , or sign the guest book visit www.benniesmithfuneralhome.com. Professional services entrusted to Bennie Smith Funeral Home, Millsboro. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Johnny Lee Gilbert, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

Johnny Lee Gilbert

May 14, 1941 - December 25, 2017