Gilbert Wathen, age 95, of Forest Lake & Mora,
passed away on June 23, 2006 in Pine City.
He was born in La Rue County Buffalo, Kentucky on April 7, 1911 to Fred and Mary Wathen.
He lived at Buffalo, Kentucky and at the age of 6 moved to Aurelia, Iowa later moving to Superior, Iowa.
Gilbert was married to Hazel Irene Perkins of Estherville, Iowa in Jackson, Minnesota March 30, 1936. On July 20, 1938 their son, Gary Eugene Wathen was born in Estherville.
He worked at the Golden Sun Milling Co. at Estherville, Iowa, later moving to the Hinckley and Ogilvie areas of Minnesota to farm.
From 1958 to 1964 he worked for the Lund Ski factory in St. Paul, Minnesota. From 1964 to 1974 he was employed at Univac in St. Paul.
Gib retired to a farm in the Mora area in 1979.
In the fall of 1983 he moved to Mora and lived there until moving to Forest Lake in 1997.
He loved the great outdoors farming, gardening and putting up vegetables and fruit for the winter.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Leo Wathen of Hinckley, Minnesota and a brother that died in infancy; parents, Fredric William Wathen and mother Mary Ellen Dyer Wathen.
He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Hazel; son, Gary ( LaVonne) Wathen ; grandchildren, Cheryl Bennett, David Wathen, Terry Wathen, Jacqueline (Anthony) Poliseno, Carma (Rick) Perleberg, Sharon (Walter) Schendel, Katherine (Michael) Ryan; 20 great grandchildren; 6 great great grandchildren; sisters, Jean Zufall, Ann Zufall; and nieces and nephews.