IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Gilbert Roy
Mortensen
January 26, 1933 – December 4, 2009
Obituary
Gilbert Roy Mortensen, Lt/ Col (ret) USAF
Roy was born on Jan 26, 1933 in Lillesand, Norway to Christian and Petra Mortensen. The family returned to their home in Rahway, New Jersey in May 1933. Roy graduated from Rahway High School in 1951 and attended one year of college at Rutgers University. He worked on a dredge in the Florida Keys and Texas until he joined the AF in Feb. 1953. He was accepted into the Aviation Cadet program and commissioned in July 1954. He was a Radar Observer for 1 ½ yrs before beginning Pilot training. He had always wanted to be a fighter pilot and was from Feb.1958 until he retired in August of 1982. He was involved with the F -106 Delta Dart throughout his flying career either as a line pilot, an instructor, an advisor, or a test pilot. He spent 1 year in Thailand during the VietNam war. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross W/1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal W/7 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Republic of VietNam Campaign medal.
After he retired from the AF he worked briefly as a polygraph examiner. He had always been a woodworker and began working for Koehnemann Construction in 1986 as a finish carpenter. He retired again in 2003. He had his own shop and enjoyed making toys and furniture for his grandchildren and his friends. He took his pleasure in meeting a challenge and doing the best that could be done.
Roy is survived by Margaret, his wife of 54 years, his daughter, Diana Gunnarson and her husband, Trent, his son, Keith Mortensen and his wife, Stacey, and his daughter, Linda Pinkert and her husband, Pete, and his nephew, Chris Mortensen. He is also survived by his grandchildren, April and Matthew Gunnarson, Sy and Sydney Pinkert, step granddaughters, Ashley Collicutt and her husband, Charlie, and Lindsey Staley, and step great-grandson, Connor Collicutt. He was pre-deceased by his parents, two brothers and one sister.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, December 9 at 3 p.m. in the Wilson Funeral Home Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Covenant Hospice or to the American Cancer Society in memory of Gilbert Mortensen.
Wilson Funeral Home
Roy was born on Jan 26, 1933 in Lillesand, Norway to Christian and Petra Mortensen. The family returned to their home in Rahway, New Jersey in May 1933. Roy graduated from Rahway High School in 1951 and attended one year of college at Rutgers University. He worked on a dredge in the Florida Keys and Texas until he joined the AF in Feb. 1953. He was accepted into the Aviation Cadet program and commissioned in July 1954. He was a Radar Observer for 1 ½ yrs before beginning Pilot training. He had always wanted to be a fighter pilot and was from Feb.1958 until he retired in August of 1982. He was involved with the F -106 Delta Dart throughout his flying career either as a line pilot, an instructor, an advisor, or a test pilot. He spent 1 year in Thailand during the VietNam war. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross W/1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal W/7 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Republic of VietNam Campaign medal.
After he retired from the AF he worked briefly as a polygraph examiner. He had always been a woodworker and began working for Koehnemann Construction in 1986 as a finish carpenter. He retired again in 2003. He had his own shop and enjoyed making toys and furniture for his grandchildren and his friends. He took his pleasure in meeting a challenge and doing the best that could be done.
Roy is survived by Margaret, his wife of 54 years, his daughter, Diana Gunnarson and her husband, Trent, his son, Keith Mortensen and his wife, Stacey, and his daughter, Linda Pinkert and her husband, Pete, and his nephew, Chris Mortensen. He is also survived by his grandchildren, April and Matthew Gunnarson, Sy and Sydney Pinkert, step granddaughters, Ashley Collicutt and her husband, Charlie, and Lindsey Staley, and step great-grandson, Connor Collicutt. He was pre-deceased by his parents, two brothers and one sister.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, December 9 at 3 p.m. in the Wilson Funeral Home Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Covenant Hospice or to the American Cancer Society in memory of Gilbert Mortensen.
Wilson Funeral Home
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