Wilbur Gilmore

April 26, 1921 - November 29, 2018

Wilbur Gilmore passed away on Thursday, November 29th. He was 97 years old. He was surrounded by family and friends. The service will be held at 3PM, Sunday, in the Chapel of Williams Funeral Home with Elder Craig Deloach officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service from 2PM to 3PM. Burial will follow at Baldwin Memorial Gardens. Mr. Gilmore joined the National Guard in 1940. He was a member of Battery D of the 214th Coastal Artillery Anti-Aircraft group. They were called to active service as citizen soldiers in November 1940 to train and go overseas to serve in the Pacific Theater in World War II. He served in Guadalcanal, Bismarck Archipelago, North Solomons and the South Pacific. The Battery D group served together until 1945. There is a monument on the grounds of GMC honoring this group since they followed a long tradition of service in Baldwin County dating back to the Baldwin Blues. The Battery D Group met annually for over 70 years due to the camaraderie and friendships formed. The reunions only discontinued due to survivorship of the Group for which the Group had a saying “ when the Roll is none but one, the 214th reunion days are done. Hear, Hear to the 214th.” Mr. Gilmore retired as a maintenance supervisor at Central State Hospital. He served as a Deacon in the Hardwick Primitive Baptist Church. He loved his church, his family and sitting on the porch. Mr. Gilmore was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Margaret Martin Gilmore. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Joan (Marvin) Minton, his granddaughter and grandson son-in-law Amy (Colin) Duke , great grandsons Gregory Duke and Garrison Duke. Special appreciation to the wonderful care given by Angela Smith and the caring and supportive staff of Savannah Court.