Frank Gilbert, age 77, of rural Hitchcock, died Thursday evening, March 11, 2004, at the Huron Regional Medical Center after major surgery. His funeral service will be at 2:00 PM Monday, March 15, at the Hitchcock United Methodist Church with Rev. Jan Price and Tom Pickles officiating. Burial will be at the Altoona Cemetery, rural Hitchcock. Friends may call Sunday afternoon and evening and Monday morning at the Welter Funeral Home or prior to the service at the church Monday afternoon. There will be a Prayer Service at 7:00 PM Sunday evening at Welter Funeral Home. Frank Kenneth Gilbert was born on June 8, 1926, to Ira and Florence (Payne) Gilbert at Hitchcock, SD. He received his elementary education in country schools and graduated from Hitchcock High School in 1946. He worked on the family farm with his father and also for area farmers. He worked in road construction in South Dakota, and for a logging company in Albuquerque, NM. On November 23, 1962, Frank married Esther Baach at Albuquerque, where they lived until 1971. They moved to Paxico, KS, where he was employed at Hudson Farms until 1982, when he moved back to Hitchcock and has lived there since. His wife, Esther, died on July 30, 1995. He attended the United Methodist Church at Hitchcock. He was a member of the Hitchcock Senior Citizens and delivered meals for nutrition. He enjoyed hunting, dancing, playing cards, and was an avid gardener. He is survived by 4 step grandchildren, Ken (Chris) Straatmeyer of Rapid City, SD, Sharlene Ford of Lennox, SD, Sharla (Dennis) Hanzlik of Niobrara, NE, and Sheryl Farnham of Sioux Falls, SD; 12 step great grandchildren; one step son-in-law, Ben Straatmeyer of Rapid City; 2 brothers, David (Marguerite) Gilbert of Fridley, MN, and Eugene (Sarah) Gilbert of Huron, SD; 1 sister-in-law, Alberta Gilbert VanBuskirk of Redfield, SD; many nieces and nephews, and a host of friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Esther on July 30, 1995; 3 brothers, Harold Gilbert, Alan Gilbert, and Willis Gilbert; 2 sisters-in-law, Lucille Gilbert and Betty Gilbert, 1 stepdaughter, June Straatmeyer and 1 great niece, Julie Carlson.