Obituaries are supported by a generous grant from Sinai Memorial Chapel.
Bruce I. Gilbert
Dec. 31, 1929–Sept. 13, 2024
Bruce Gilbert passed away on September 13, 2024 in Burlingame, California at the age of 94. He was born in San Francisco and lived in the San Francisco region his entire life. His father, Morris Gilbert, immigrated from England and his mother, Beatrice Gilbert (nee Shatz), immigrated from Wales. He had a close relationship with his older sister, Marjorie Karp, who predeceased him.
Bruce met his first wife, Mirna Frankel, when they were students at Washington High School. He attended UC Berkeley, the first person in his family to attend college, participating in the ROTC program. Bruce and Mirna married in 1951 and soon thereafter he was drafted. Bruce served as a second lieutenant and a platoon commander both stateside and in Korea where he faced enemy fire at least twice. His oldest child, Dana, was born while Bruce was serving in Korea.
Upon returning from Korea, Bruce opened his family business, Gilbert’s Home Variety Center, in San Francisco’s Mission District. The entire family worked at the store at various times. Bruce and Mirna had two more children, Janis and Donald, and they raised their family in Daly City. They attended Temple Beth Israel-Judea where Bruce served as president. He loved to spend his weekends with family enjoying San Francisco, especially Golden Gate Park.
After retirement, Bruce volunteered as an information officer at San Francisco Airport, and he also volunteered helping people navigate their Medicare and Social Security benefits.
Mirna passed away in 1989. Mirna and Bruce were married 38 years. Bruce later married Roberta Friedeberg and they lived in Millbrae.
Bruce loved to travel the world and discuss politics and current events. He enjoyed taking his children, grandchildren and even his great-grandchildren on fun and memorable family vacations. Judaism and Israel were important to Bruce and he especially loved leading large family Passover seders. Bruce will be remembered for his values, ethics, and love of family. He left an enormous imprint on his family and will be missed by many.
He is survived by his children Dana Edelstein (Alan), Janis Cooper (Marty), and Donald Gilbert (Shira), by his grandchildren Jason Edelstein (Leah Wagner), Nathaniel Edelstein (Lara), Felicia Naftulin (Malcolm), Ruthie Edelstein, Brandon Cooper (Mallory), Jonathan Gilbert (Stephanie), Miriam Gilbert, and Adam Gilbert, and his great-grandchildren Shoshana, Miri, Noa, Ethan, Eloise, Ezra, and Miles, and by his second wife, Roberta Friedeberg.
Funeral services were held on September 18 at Salem Memorial Park in Colma followed by a memorial service at Peninsula Temple Sholom in Burlingame.
The family has asked that donations be made in Bruce’s memory to Magen David Adom or the Lupus Foundation of America.