Harrison "Gil" W. Gilpin

May 02, 1916 - December 24, 2009

Harrison "Gil" W. Gilpin Obituary Passed away unexpectedly and suddenly at his winter home in Sun City, AZ on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2009 while listening to Christmas music with MaryAnn. He was born May 2, 1916 to Adam and Cora Swenson Gilpin in Mason City, Iowa. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1933. He came "West" to attend the University of Idaho on a basketball and golf scholarship. While in college he started working summer breaks at the Davenport Hotel where he met Eva F. McKinnon who became his wife February 25, 1944. His education was interrupted when he was drafted into the Army during World War II. In January 1945 he was injured at Angar in the South Pacific resulting in blindness and spent the next two years in California military hospitals that had blind rehabilitation centers. Upon returning to Spokane in 1947 he returned to school, attending Gonzaga College and Gonzaga Law School. In 1950 he became bailiff for Superior Court Judge Ralph E. Foley, a job he truly loved for 24 years until both the Judge and he retired. He was a lifetime member (72 years) of the Elks Lodge. He was a lifetime member of the Blinded Veterans Association of which he had served as National Treasurer and as a District Director, being on the National Board for over 20 years. He received the BVA's Irving Diener Service Award in 1973. He was one of the founders and first president of the Washington State Blinded Veterans group. He was a former member of the Moose Lodge, VFW, Manito Lions Service Club, Manito Golf and Country Club, Spokane Club, Knife & Fork Dinner Club, Westminster and Plymouth Congregational Churches. He and his family enjoyed traveling which included attending over 35 years of BVA conventions, visiting historical cities, winter vacationing in warm places like Hawaii, taking cruises and since 2006 he enjoyed spending the winter in Sun City, AZ. His favorite hobbies included listening to and attending musical concerts/presentations, avid reader of books on tape, following college football, Gonzaga University basketball, Mariners baseball and listening to golf tournaments on TV. He was preceded in death by his wife Eva of 61 years in 2005, his parents and his brother Keith. He is survived by his daughter MaryAnn Gilpin Gordon and her husband Roger S. Gordon of Spokane and Sun City, AZ. Appreciation is given for the wonderful care that both Gil and Eva received since 2003 by caregivers in their home. A Graveside/Memorial Service will be held on Monday, May 10, 2010 at 1:00 PM at Greenwood Memorial Terrace Cemetery.