Dennis Gilbertson of Arden Hills, MN passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on Friday, September 15, 2023, at the age of 84.
Dennis was born on April 12, 1939, in Spring Valley, Wisc., the first of four children born to G. Lester and Vera (Stratton) Gilbertson. He was born with a caring soul that he shared with the world, a deep love of nature, and a steadfast loyalty to family and friends.
Dennis attended Spring Valley schools from K through 12. He earned a BS degree from the U of Wisc, River Falls, and a MS from the U of MN.
Dennis was a devoted educator, spending the majority of his 36-year teaching career teaching biology, anatomy, and other science classes in the Mounds View School District. He was an inspiration to his students and never gave up on them no matter what. His caring nature reached far beyond the classroom. Strangers quickly became friends, and as one said, “His friendship knew no boundary.”
Mistymoon Lake in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming was a cherished spot for Dennis. He and Claudia spent many summers leading church and school groups as they backpacked to Mistymoon and beyond. These ten-day hikes were a perfect platform for Dennis to deliver not only lessons about nature, but also lessons about life.
Dennis lived his life advocating for justice. His children remember being brought to protests and rallies at a very early age. He walked the talk by being a good example of loving all people. He was especially happy when, after hundreds of hours of volunteer work in support of same-sex marriage, an attempt to disallow this was soundly defeated in Minnesota.
In his last two years, he and Claudia joined Giving Voice – a choir for people living with dementia and their caregivers. He started singing more loudly in church and around the house while helping with chores. During a recent hospital stay, while he was highly medicated, this love for singing literally gave him a voice. He would sing with visitors even when he was too sleepy to talk.
He was a marathon runner, a scuba diver, a world traveler, and he loved his church family at Peace Lutheran Church.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents and sisters Ruth Lynum and Carol Bergum. He is survived by his wife Claudia, daughters Nancy (Chris) Erickson, Laura (Kent) Dirks, son Joel (Michelle Tolub), grandchildren Tyler, Jens, Ellie, Kelsey, and Henry, sister Vivian Mundt, many nieces/nephews, great nieces/nephews, cousins, inlaws, and friends.
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, October 14 at 12 noon at Peace Lutheran Church, 1744 Walnut Street, Lauderdale, MN 55113. Visitation will begin at 10:30 am.
Memorials preferred to Giving Voice (givingvoicechorus.org) or Peace Lutheran Church (peacelauderdale.com).
