Arlene Gilbride

Sue "Arlene" Gilbride died peacefully at Rose Manor on Wednesday evening, September 9, 2015. She was born December 14, 1924, in ACH Hospital, Shawnee, Oklahoma, to parents Mary and Roscoe Roush of Holdenville, Oklahoma. She lived in Holdenville with her parents and older brother Roscoe, Jr. until 1939 when the family moved to Shawnee. Arlene graduated from Shawnee High School in 1942 and then earned a BA in business from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1945. In 1944 she met Ensign Harry Gilbride, a Naval Pilot from South Philadelphia, PA, who was attending a Naval pilot training school at OBU and the Shawnee Airstrip. They were married at First Baptist Church, Shawnee, on July 14, 1945 and moved to his home in Philadelphia. Harry worked at the Philadelphia Navy Yard while Arlene worked in the credit department of the Wanamaker Department Store in downtown Philly. Daughter Diana Sue was born on January 6, 1947. The Gilbrides moved from Philadelphia to Oaklyn, New Jersey in 1949. Son Richard Lawrence was born on May 15, 1952. In 1954 the family moved to the new suburban community of Delaware Township, New Jersey which later became Cherry Hill. Arlene went back to school at Glassboro State College to earn her elementary teaching certificate in 1959, and taught 5th grade in Earlton School. She continued her education at Glassboro, earning her Masters in Library Science in 1973, and working as an elementary librarian for Cherry Hill public schools. Arlene was also an active member of Earlton Community Baptist Church in Cherry Hill. In 1975 when Harry retired from the Navy Yard, Harry & Arlene moved to Shawnee and built a house in South Rock Creek. Arlene became the librarian at Tecumseh High School where she worked until she retired in 1987. Arlene was active at First Baptist Church, Shawnee, teaching the Mary Sunday School Class, working in Bible School and in the church library. She was a charter member of the FBC Senior Adult Choir, The Hallelujah Chorus, and was a member of the Ruth Ann Smith Round Table. Arlene was a faithful Shawnee Mall Walker and was also involved with the Wa-Pa-He ladies organization and the Oklahoma Retired Teachers. Her later years were hampered by the effects of an attack of Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Encephalitis (shingles in the ear) in 1984 which left her permanently dizzy. Despite the difficulty, Arlene mostly kept on going. She and Harry enjoyed traveling around the country, and to Georgia to visit son Rick and daughter-in-law Jenny or to North Carolina to visit daughter Diana and son-in-law Larry. Harry was diagnosed with acute leukemia in 1992. Arlene cared for him both at home and in the hospital until his death in 1995, just a week after their 50th wedding anniversary. Diana &-Larry moved back to Shawnee from Charlotte, North Carolina, and renovated a house for Arlene. She . lived there until 2009 when deteriorating health resulted in her moving into Rose Manor where she lived until her death on Wednesday, September 9, 2015. Arlene was preceded in death by her parents Roscoe and Mary Roush, and by her husband Harry Gilbride. She is survived by her brother, Roscoe Roush, Jr. of Bastrop, Texas, her son and daughter-in-law Rick and Jenny Gilbride of Naylor, Georgia, her daughter and son-in-law Diana and Larry Inman of Shawnee, Oklahoma, a granddaughter Katie Bulmer and husband Bryan of Statesboro, Georgia" a grandson Greg Mullis and wife Leann of Atlanta, Georgia, two great grandchildren Hanna & Ava Bulmer of Statesboro, two nephews, Ron Roush and wife Suzie of LaMirada, California, and Russ Roush and wife Keri of Bastrop, Texas .. The family will receive friends at Walker Funeral Home on Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. The funeral will be held at the Walker Funeral Service Chapel on Monday, September 14 at 10:00 a.m., Reverends Ray Miller, Glen Pence, and Paul Calmes officiating. Burial at Resthaven Cemetery will follow the service In lieu of flowers, please send memorial gifts to Heartland Hospice of Shawnee, to the First Baptist Church, Shawnee, or to the Rose Manor Nursing Center Activity Fund.