March 23, 1924 - May 24, 2023
On May 24, 2023, Gilbert “Gil” D. Spooner passed away in Littleton, Colorado. He was 99 years young.
The youngest of seven children, Gil grew up on the wind-swept prairie of North Dakota. He endured the dust bowl and plagues of locusts that literally darkened the sky and destroyed the crops of the family farm. He sought a better life for himself by attending college at North Dakota Agricultural College. Although his academic career was interrupted by World War II, once his service was completed in 1943, he eventually returned to college and graduated as a mechanical engineer.
Gil was recruited by General Electric Company (“GE”) who offered him a position in their Schenectady, NY large motor and generator department. Gil remained at GE for his entire working career.
Gil married his late wife Beatrice (“Bea”) soon after starting his job and started a family in a house he and his father-in-law built in their spare time. Two of his children, David and Ellen, arrived one year apart from each other and soon the family found they needed a larger hous, so they located a new home in Schenectady.
When David and Ellen were teenagers, Gil had the foresight to welcome Carolyn to the family. Carolyn became a key figure in Gil’s life in his last years.
When Ellen moved to Colorado in 1976 and David followed her a year later, Gil, who was by now the manager of engineering at GE, took advantage of an early retirement opportunity, packed up Bea and Carolyn and headed west in 1979. The family was back together again.
Once in Colorado, Gil had no intention of remaining idle and soon he and David were building custom houses together to sell. He called it his second career and loved every minute of it. A few of the houses Gil and David built together included were a new custom home for Gil and a mountain cabin for David and his wife Beverly.
After Bea passed away, Gil sold his custom home and moved to senior independent living so he could socialize. He loved to play bridge. Eventually glaucoma and macular degeneration slowly robbed him of his sight. He ended up leaving the senior independent living apartment when he no longer could read the cards.
Gil’s last residence was in Carolyn’s basement apartment which he had helped build out years earlier. Initially, it was a good fit but soon enough he appropriated half of the storage room to create a new bathroom fit for a King, which his grandson Chris built for him. His children feel he deserved it. He mentioned often how much he enjoyed it.
Carolyn’s love and nurse training proved vital during the last years of his life. She was dedicated to providing him the environment he deserved for all the giving he’s done over the years to all his children. He was happy and optimistic if not always healthy. He never uttered a complaint despite his near total blindness.
His family will miss him dearly.
Gil was predeceased by his wife Bea and leaves son David and his wife Beverly, daughter Ellen and daughter Carolyn along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved them all.
