Garry Alan Gilberg

Garry Alan Gilberg, 79, passed quietly in his sleep at his daughter’s home. Born on January 12, 1947, in Helena, Montana, and raised in Columbia Heights, he began his career in electrical contracting in River Falls, Wisconsin. He raised his family in Stillwater, Minnesota, and later enjoyed his years as a grandfather in Austin, Minnesota, and Bemidji, Minnesota, before his death on March 5, 2026.

He is survived by Sara, the love of his life and his wife of 54 years; his children Greta Sikorski (James), Erica Munson (Scott), Loren Gilberg (Melynda), Russel Gilberg (Grace), and William Gilberg (Lauren Carlson); and his nine grandchildren, Veronica and Ilias Sikorski, Murphy and Mae Munson, George and Oliver Gilberg, and Beatrix, Axel, and Gus Gilberg, along with honorary grandchild Gordon Spindler. He is also survived by his best friend and brother-in-law Timm Spindler (Helen and Gordon Spindler), his sister Roni Gilberg, and many other treasured family members and friends, especially Corky, Joe, Amie, Alice, and Rachel. Garry’s constant canine companions, Ike and Ole, will miss him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Verona and Hubert Gilberg Sr., his in-laws, Ruth and Gordon Spindler, and his brother, Hubert Gilberg Jr.

A beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Garry was a chosen father to many. Known for his generous bear hugs, creativity, and kind heart, he loved roughhousing with his children and telling imaginative stories about the Royal Gilberg Family and their epic struggles with wicked witches and difficult neighbors. These tales often mirrored the family’s own experiences, offering guidance through challenges and triumphs with humor, creativity, and grace. Family life revolved around trips to the Boundary Waters, coaching Little League, Camp Fire activities, Tae Kwon Do with Will, time at the lake, and long walks together.

Garry served in the Navy from 1964 to 1967 as a Seabee, stationed in Adak, Alaska, and Vietnam. His experiences led him to become a Veteran for Peace. He carried his Seabee training into a lifelong career as an electrician, becoming a respected master electrician, creative problem solver, designer, and later an electrical inspector. In 1978, he and Sara founded Summit Electric Corp, which they operated for 30 years, building a loyal and much-loved team of employees. Garry greeted the world with kindness and was always ready to offer support. His inventive, unorthodox solutions—affectionately known as “Garryrigging”—reflected his brilliance, creativity, and occasional frustration, and everything in his world ran on “Gilberg time.”

He loved the outdoors and fishing, though he may have complained more about the fish that got away than boasted about those he caught. After moving to Bemidji in 2020, he could often be found on his boat, sharing the lake’s beauty, collecting water data for the DNR, and giving rides to guests. A happy member of the ROMEOS (Retired Old Men Eating Out), he most cherished coming home to Sara after a day on the water. Above all, he treasured his time with Sara, their five children, and their families.