Richard Gilster

Richard Gilster, Sr.

Richard Allen Gilster, age 93, died Monday, September 7, 2009 in Fresno, California. He was born July 3, 1916 in Britt, Iowa to Otto Frederick and Elsie Burgardt Gilster. On August 6, 1937 he married his college sweetheart, Dorothy Lorena Whiteley, in Pasadena, California. She preceded him in death on November 29, 1997.

Richard grew up in North Dakota. At a very young age his family moved to Southern California. He attended college in Pasadena, met his wife and began his ministry, serving as a pastor for various churches for over 47 years. He raised his family in the Midwest, then he semiretired to Overton, Nevada where he served as pastor for the Moapa Valley Church of the Nazarene. With failing health, he moved to Bakersfield, CA and finally to Fresno, CA to be near family. His hobbies included coin and stamp collecting and hunting and fishing.

Survivors include three sons and one daughter: Richard Allen II of Las Vegas, NV; Mary C. (Stephen) Cowdrey of Colorado Springs, CO; Ron (Delores) of Fresno, CA; Reginald (Thelma) of Reed City, MI; son-in-law, Verne Tedder of Bakersfield, CA; nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Joan Tedder, one brother and four sisters.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 2 p.m. at the Moapa Valley Mortuary, 5090 N. Moapa Valley Blvd., Logandale, NV. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the mortuary. Interment will be in the Pioneer Hill Memorial Cemetery in Overton under the direction of Moapa Valley Mortuary, 702 398-3600.