Earl "Buddy" Edward Gilson

Earl “Buddy” Gilson, age 81, passed away at his home in Santa Rosa on October 5, 2019. He was born in Brainerd, Minnesota, on November 26, 1937, to Lyle and Nina Gilson. His family moved to Forest Knolls, CA, when he was a young child. There, he met his lifelong friend, Larry Weiland. After attending Sir Francis Drake High School, he went on to work as an underground contractor, eventually becoming a general contractor and starting Gilson Construction, at which he worked until early this year. After marrying Dolores in 1957, they settled in San Anselmo for many years, moving to Santa Rosa after their children had grown. Wonderful childhood memories are of going to various job sites with him and riding in backhoe buckets and dump truck beds. Among his favorite things to do were running 10K races, mining for gold, camping, hiking, and kayaking. His favorite lake was Bowman Lake in the Sierra. He scaled Mt. Rose, Half Dome, and the Grand Canyon with his daughter Linda. Later in life he also enjoyed hiking Mt. Taylor, visiting national parks, and driving to the Sonoma Coast, stopping for coffee and pastries along the way. He is preceded in death by four brothers: Eugene, Dale, William, and Gerald Gilson. Buddy is survived by his wife of 62 years, Dolores Gilson (Romero); his three children: Linda, Christina, and Stephen Gilson; and two grandchildren: Matthew and Claire.  He will be incredibly missed by many. Services to celebrate his life will be held Friday, October 18, 2019, at 12:00 noon at Parent-Sorensen Mortuary, 850 Keokuk Street, Petaluma, CA 94952.

Parent-Sorensen Mortuary and Crematory