Gilbert was born in Phoenix, Arizona on February 24, 1962 to Velia Works. He was the second eldest of six children. In 1968, the family moved to Long Beach, California and eventually settled in Maywood, California. Gilbert graduated from Huntington Park High School where he played basketball and was mentioned a few times in sports articles by the Daily Signal.
At the age of 20, Gilbert enlisted into the Air Force and had the opportunity to travel to places such as Korea, Japan, Greece, China, and the Philippines. While stationed in the Philippines, Gilbert met and married the love of his life Yolanda. The two wed in 1984 and two years later moved back to the states where Gilbert began working for the United States Postal Service.
Gilbert served 25 years working for the postal service. He was a steward and chief steward at the San Bernardino Processing and Distribution Center. After several years of being active in union relations, he was elected a National Business Agent in 2010 and reelected in 2013. He retired from the Air Force Reserves in April 2012 and was looking forward to retiring from the USPS within the coming years.
Our heavenly Father, called Gilbert home at the age of 52 on Thursday October 2, 2014, after he sustained fatal injuries due to a motorcycle accident. Gilbert passed after hours in surgery at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California. He is survived by his wife, Yolanda; his mother and step-father Velia and Eugene; his three daughters Lucy, Diana, and Elvira; his three grandchildren Vincent, Jazmin and Elijah; his son-in-law Fredy; his three brothers Tony, Eugene Jr., and Joseph; his two sisters Sylvia and Gladys; and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends far too numerous to name.

Viewing will be held on Wednesday October 15th 2014 from 6:00-9:00 PM at the Redlands Church of Christ, 1000 Roosevelt Rd, Redlands, Ca.

Funeral Servies will be on Thursday October 16th 2014 at Immanuel Baptist Church, 28355 Baseline St, Highland, California as follows:
9:30-10:30 Viewing/Visitation
10:30 Funeral Service
1:30 Graveside Service at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Blvd, Riverside, CA