Gilbert was born July 22, 1923, in Ellendale, N.D., to Marshall and Minnie (Strand) Fleming. He grew up in Ellendale, and, after school, attended welding school and worked in the shipyards in Seattle and Portland. Gilbert then served in World War II as a corporal in the 8th Army Air Corps from 1943 until 1945. After returning from his service, he worked with his brother-in-law, Tom Kelly, at Ellendale Chevrolet. On March 4, 1946, he was united in marriage to Margaret Kelly in Ellendale. The couple lived in Ellendale and then moved to Britton in 1951. In 1952, the family moved to Rapid City and he worked in the body shop for James Motors. They then moved to Aberdeen in 1954, where he worked in the body shop for Lloyd Voight Buick and Midland Motors. In 1966, they returned to Rapid City and he was a body man with Black Hills/Cochran Oldsmobile. After the flood, he was employed at Brekhus Buick for 17 years until retiring in 1988.
He enjoyed snowmobiling, hunting and puzzles. He was a member of St. Therese Parish, the American Legion, the Eagles Club and was a life-member of VFW Post No. 1273.
Survivors include eight sons: Dennis (Carla) Fleming, Robert (Shelley) Fleming, Michael (Carol) Fleming, James (Becky) Fleming and Charles (Lisa) Fleming, all of Rapid City; Tom (Susan) Fleming, Box Elder; David (Mary) Fleming, Oakes, N.D.; and John Fleming, Orlando, Fla.; a daughter, Mary (Robert) Davis, Keystone; 32 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; a brother, LeRoy "Marshall" (Shirley) Fleming, Ashley, N.D.; and a sister, Edna Sand, Ellendale.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Margaret, on Feb. 27, 2013; a daughter, Susan Dean; a son, Kevin Fleming; two grandchildren: Serena and Sampson; and three sisters: Evelyn Holman, Catherine Peterson and Jean Davidson.
Visitation will be at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home in Rapid City on Tuesday, April 2, from 5 to 7 p.m., with a Christian wake service at 7 p.m.
Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 3, at the Church of St. Therese in Rapid City, with the Rev. William Zandri presiding.
Burial, with military honors rendered by Rushmore VFW Post No. 1273, will be in Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, on Friday, April 5, at 9 a.m.
Memorials may be directed to St. Therese Church.
His online guestbook is available at osheimschmidt.com.