Albany Democrat-Herald
Albany OR
23 Aug 2011


Gilbert H. Cromwell
Jan. 28, 1939 — Aug. 21, 2011

Gilbert H. Cromwell, 72, died peacefully Sunday surrounded by family.
Gilbert was born to Albert and Ann Lakin in Muskegon, Mich. His mother
passed away when he was 5, and he and his sister, Margretta, were adopted
by Dr. James and Margaret Cromwell of Blackfood, Idaho, in 1949. He
had many fond memories of growing up in Blackfoot with his “new”
brothers and sisters. The family later moved to Independence, Iowa,
where he graduated from high school. Gilbert attended the University
of Iowa for one year, and then joined the U.S. Navy, enlisting for
six years. He advanced to the rank of petty officer and specialized in
training for anti-submarine warfare. While serving at Sangley Point,
Manila, Philippines, Gilbert met the love of his life, Nelydia Detablan,
and they married on Dec. 30, 1964. Gilbert and Nellie remained married for
47 blessed years. Upon leaving the Navy in 1965, they moved to Des Moines,
Iowa. They eventually moved to California, then to Albany in 1978. Gilbert
learned to repair typewriters and spent over 35 years in this trade. He
was one of the last active typewriter repairmen in the Willamette Valley,
and had a multi-month backlog of repairs when declining health forced
him to retire from Cooke Stationary in Salem in 2001. Gilbert was an avid
deer and duck hunter, and enjoyed fishing as well. He was a rabid Blazers
fan, and was known to yell at referees through the television when he
thought they had blown a call. He was also a stamp collector and served
as president of the Linn County Philatelic Society for two years. He was a
member of the American Legion and National Rifle Association. He had been
a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church parish since 1978. His laugh was
loud and infectious, and his many friends and family have happy memories
of it. Gilbert is survived by his wife, Nelydia of Albany; sons Michael
and wife Kelly of Dallas, and Robert and wife Carroll of Vancouver, Wash.;
granddaughter Emma of Dallas; brother Tom Cromwell of Twin Falls, Idaho;
sister Gretta Foster of Tehachapi, Calif.; and brother Richard Cromwell
of Tucson, Ariz. A Catholic funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday,
Aug. 24, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Albany. AAsum-Dufour Funeral
Home is handling arrangements (www.AAsum-Dufour.com).