Gilbert George Roth died peacefully at the age of 66 at his daughter's home in Woodside, Calif. on January 25, 2008. The cause was complications from billiary cancer.
Gilbert was born in Strasbourg, Alsace, a province in northeast France on April 23, 1941. He moved to Lyons, N.Y. with his mother at the age of 17. After high school, Gilbert served two years in the U.S. Navy, and then went on to attend Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, North Carolina. In 1967 he became the first white male graduate of the previously all-black institution. He later received a Masters in political science at the University of Rhode Island. After a series of stints that included translating, rubber-stamp making, dishwashing, and cab driving, Gilbert became a teacher, a career he held for almost forty years. Before his illness he taught fourth grade at Empire Elementary School in Carson City, a position he loved.
Gilbert is survived by five wonderful daughters, Natalie Roth-Corti and Nicole Miller from his first marriage to Jacki Forbes, and Zoe, Cassia, and Erica Roth from his second marriage to Susan Paigen. He also has three grandchildren. Gilbert was part of the congregation at Shasta Abbey in Shasta, California. Above all, Gilbert was a loving father, a caring and engaged teacher, and a devoted Buddhist. He will be greatly missed.
Memorial services will be held Sunday, February 10th at noon at the Brewery Arts Center. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be sent to Shasta Abbey, a monastery in the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives at 3724 Summit Dr, Mt. Shasta, CA 96067-9102.