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Lyle Elmer Gilk
01/15/1936 — 07/01/2013
From Richland, WA, US | Born in Albany, MN
Lyle Elmer Gilk
Lyle Elmer Gilk
Lyle Elmer Gilk was born to the late Waldamar and Merylyn Gilk in January 1936 in Farming Township, Minnesota and was called home to heaven on July 1, 2013. Lyle began his life in his parent's home and completed elementary school and Lutheran catechism at Immanuel Lutheran Church near his home. He attended Albany High School competing in football, basketball and baseball playing multiple positions in each sport. He graduated from high school in 1954 and began a 27 year adventure when he enlisted in the Air Force as a Security Policeman. He met Yvonne, the love of his life, in Washington, DC beginning their 53-year life together on a blind date. His three children were born at the same hospital, which is an unusual feat for a military family, during their first three years of their marriage. In addition to traveling the world with his family in the Air Force he served for eight years on the Air Force Presidential security detail protecting presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson and was a Viet Nam veteran. Though he was selected for promotion to Chief Master Sergeant he decided to retire at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho in 1981. After retiring from the Air Force he worked for the Idaho Department of Corrections in Kuna, Idaho, the Department of Veterans Affairs in Boise, Idaho and the Defense Investigative Service in Everett, Washington before moving to Richland in 1985 to work for the Department of Energy Safeguard and Security office until he retired for a second time in 2003. He has been a citizen of Richland for over 28 years serving his community as post commander, honor guard commander, treasurer and chaplain of VFW Post 7952; an elder, congregation president, treasurer and usher with Redeemer Lutheran Church; and treasurer of the Richland Rod and Gun Club. He was an avid, life-long hunter and fisherman. He passed his outdoors skills and hunting knowledge to future generations as a hunter's education instructor. He is survived by his wife of 53 years Yvonne, his daughter Donna Lee Carino husband Ray, and his sons Clair wife Danita and Barry wife Fredia, his sisters Merylyn husband Ralph and Gwendolyn, and his brother Arlon wife Claudia. A celebration of his life will be held at Sunset View Memorial Gardens/Einan's Event Center on Wednesday July 10th at 11:00 AM.
Lyle is a great man and friend. He gave me advice whether I wanted it or not. And most of the time he was spot on. I am sorry that I was not able to be there for the service. His passing is a huge loss to the VFW Post and the community as a whole. I miss his drop in visits and the flags he delivered to be placed with veterans. He is missed already.
Lyle did the honor guard for a dear friend of ours who passed last November. He did a wonderful job. That was the kind of man he was. He wore his heart on his sleeve and would give the shirt off his back. I will miss bumping into him around town and shooting the breeze.
So sorry for your loss. Lyle will be missed by all who knew him and there will be a lot to do that he just did. I will be away the 10th and unable to celebrate his life. It was not long enough, but filled with enough good for many lives
I am sorry I am not in town to attend Lyle’s service. I enjoyed being in the VFW with him. He is a great guy. Your family is in my thoughts and prayers.
I’m going to miss a good buddy. Our prayers are for Yvonne and the whole family. Ray and Mary
Lyle was a man of integrity and a gentleman. It was a pleasure to know and be able to interact with him. Of particular pleasure was the time spent with him on a hunting trip when I got to know more of the Man’s Man that he was. I will miss him and his counsel greatly.
I was so saddened to hear of Lyle’s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with Yvonne and her family. Kathijo Herr
Lyle was one of the nicest people I ever knew. I will miss talking with him at our club meetings. He will be sorely missed by all.
Lyle did several funerals at the church I work at. I enjoyed visiting with him so much. He also did my Dad’s military presentation. My condolences to your family.
Lyle is a great man and friend. He gave me advice whether I wanted it or not. And most of the time he was spot on. I am sorry that I was not able to be there for the service. His passing is a huge loss to the VFW Post and the community as a whole. I miss his drop in visits and the flags he delivered to be placed with veterans. He is missed already.
Lyle did the honor guard for a dear friend of ours who passed last November. He did a wonderful job. That was the kind of man he was. He wore his heart on his sleeve and would give the shirt off his back. I will miss bumping into him around town and shooting the breeze.
So sorry for your loss. Lyle will be missed by all who knew him and there will be a lot to do that he just did. I will be away the 10th and unable to celebrate his life. It was not long enough, but filled with enough good for many lives
I am sorry I am not in town to attend Lyle’s service. I enjoyed being in the VFW with him. He is a great guy. Your family is in my thoughts and prayers.
I’m going to miss a good buddy. Our prayers are for Yvonne and the whole family. Ray and Mary
Lyle was a man of integrity and a gentleman. It was a pleasure to know and be able to interact with him. Of particular pleasure was the time spent with him on a hunting trip when I got to know more of the Man’s Man that he was. I will miss him and his counsel greatly.
I was so saddened to hear of Lyle’s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with Yvonne and her family. Kathijo Herr
Lyle was one of the nicest people I ever knew. I will miss talking with him at our club meetings. He will be sorely missed by all.
Lyle did several funerals at the church I work at. I enjoyed visiting with him so much. He also did my Dad’s military presentation. My condolences to your family.
I will dearly miss Uncle Lyle. He always had a joke to share and always made me smile. I loved him dearly. My prayers are with you all.
I was privileged to get to know Lyle through the Richland Rod and Gun Club. Lyle joined the Club in 1993 and was elected to the Board of Trustees from 1995 through 2001. In 2002 he was elected Treasurer and continued in that capacity to the present. He became a Life Member in 2012 and had previously received the Club’s Distinguished Service and Gardner-Cranston Awards. He was a very active club member and in addition to his Treasurer activities volunteered for Hunter Education, Big Game Recovery Program, Fishing Kids, Lunker Lake, Salmon Booth, smoking salmon and Use of Funds and Nominating Committees plus the purchase and sale of Club calendars and caps with the Club logo. Over the years he became a loyal and trusted friend who could be counted on to provide well thought out advice on Club activities. I will greatly miss his support and our discussions. My deepest sympathy for Yvonne and the family.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to your family. He will be greatly missed by all that knew him.
Sincerely,
Jeff and Jennifer Gardner
Dear Gilk Family,
Although we didn’t personally know Lyle, we are new friends and neighbors of Barry and Fredia. We are so sorry for your loss. If he was anything like Barry, he must have been a sweet man. Please accept our kindest sympathy.
So very sad to hear about Lyle. He was one of my favorites when working in the Richland Fed Bldg. One of my first days there, he tried pulling one over on me as a joke. I knew it and gave it “right back” to him. He told me later he knew I was going to be “O.K.” in his book and I made him laugh. Another time, my alarm went off and he came running down 6 flights of stairs at a dead run to see if I was O.K. As a contractor, I always knew Lyle would have my back and he never let me down.God bless you Lyle. We’ll see you in Heaven :
We were so sorry and surprised to hear of Lyle’s passing. The few times we met Lyle he struck us as a no nonsense sort of guy with a sense of humor added in. His passing will leave a physical emptiness, but the memories you have of him will be forever yours to keep and treasure. With time you will find yourself reminiscing about little happenings with him.
May God bless and keep you close in this hour of darkness. Love,
Dean & Mary Kauffman
Donna, I’m so sorry about your loss. It sort of changes your relationship to the world when you lose a parent. I’m so sorry I never got to meet your dad. Ray and I are thinking of you. If sitting and looking at the lake would help any, come on up.
To the Gilk Family with deepest sympathy. Lyle always loved seeing the K-9’s, he was instrumental in the programs success and now the best within DOE. Thank you again
What a shock to learn of Lyle’s passing since we had talked just a few days earlier. He was involved with so many activities yet made time to keep all of his commitments to various groups and individuals. I enjoyed listening to his hunting stories from his childhood and from much more recent outings and he enjoyed telling them, irrespective of whether or not he was successful in harvesting game. Lyle was a devoted member of the Richland Rod & Gun Club and was a lead volunteer on its game recovery team. Lyle is personally responsible for salvaging many deer and elk, at all hours of the day or night, so the meat could be served to needy people by the Union Gospel Mission in Pasco. My deepest condolences to Yvonne and the family.
I’m so sad to hear of Lyle’s passing. I had the privilege of working with Lyle during our Safeguards and Security days for so many years. He was tough however such gentleman with a wonderful smile. : My thoughts and prayers are with you all during this difficult time.
Yvonne and family,
I know you know how much Lyle meant to all of us at the funeral home and how much he will be missed. His commitment to veterans and to the community as a whole was an inspiration to many. Thank you so much for sharing him with us.
I had the pleasure of working with Lyle in the Richland Fed Bldg for many years. We were both born in Minnesota, so we had a mid-Western connection and he had many stories that I could relate to. Lyle was one of the kindest people I have ever known. His faith showed forth in his conversation, and he truly cared about others – young and old. He was so proud and full of love for his family. The picture of him shown here captures that smile with a bit of a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He touched so many lives – what an amazing legacy he leaves behind. My heart goes out to you, Yvonne, and your family. He was quite a guy – and he was much loved and respected.
I just today learned of Lyle’s passing. He and I had a longtime friendship that began when we were stationed together while in the Air Force at National Airport and then Andrews Air Force Base. We were eventually reassigned elsewhere, but would reconnect over the phone every few years and re-hash wonderful memories. Yvonne, I still remember the first time we met when you fixed my wife and I dinner at Shirley Duke Apartments. You know better than I how great a guy he was, and I know that he will be sorely missed. Please accept my condolences for your loss.
I have many fond memories of working with Lyle. He was very firm and often presented a gruff presence inside he was a big teddy bear and would do anything for you if you really needed it. My thoughs and prayers are with you. Lyle will be missed.
My deepest sympathy to you Yvonne. I enjoyed working with Lyle at DOE for 5 years. He had an awesome sense of humor, a high degree of integrity, and was a pleasure to work with.
My sincere sympathies to Yvonne and the entire Gilk family. Lyle was a good man and will be missed by all that knew him.
My heartefelt sympathy goes out to the Gilk family. My thoughts and prayers are with you. I had the opportunity to work with Lyle for several years and it was so nice to have known him.
Guestbook for
Lyle Elmer Gilk