James "Ed" Gilbert

James "Ed" Gilbert, age 67, of Mountain Home, Ark., went to be with the Lord Monday, Nov. 22, 2010, in Mountain Home. He was born Sept. 5, 1943, at Flippin, Ark., to C.R. "Coke" Gilbert and Connis McCracken Gilbert. A lifetime area native, Mr. Gilbert was a member of Twin Lakes Baptist Church and the Mountain Home Masonic Lodge #225. He married Carolyn Jackson at the Hopewell Baptist Church of Mountain Home on March 25, 1972. Ed was elected Baxter County Assessor in 1970, served until 1974 and was elected vice-president of the Arkansas Assessors Association. He was appointed interim mayor of Mountain Home in 1997. Mr. Gilbert was elected as State Representative in 1976 and served for 18 years. Some of the legislation he sponsored and co-sponsored were: House Bill 91-the DWI Bill-which Governor Bill Clinton signed into law in March, 1983, that strengthened penalties for drunk driving; House Bill 576 which required the State Office of Long Term Care to notify the news media when a nursing home had committed two serious violations of the state code for nursing homes; penalty for motor vehicle operators who unlawfully park in handicapped zones; House Bill 919 to permit funds collected by the Office of Long Term Care as licensure fees from nursing home administrators to be used for the operation of the office on long term care; industrial legislation to make more jobs available for the people of his district; legislation to encourage tourism; legislation for more monies being appropriated for city and county road improvements; legislation that would create better educational opportunities for Arkansas citizens; legislations for veterans' benefits; and the homestead tax exemption law. He was a member of the Joint Interim Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs and was instrumental in legislation for the three-day fishing license. He worked for many highway improvements such as Highway 201 North paved, Highways 62 and 101 bridges across Lake Norfork, paving of Highway 201 South and Push Mountain Road and many more. Mr. Gilbert was one of the founders of the Ozark Community Home for the Developmentally Disabled, the first home of this type in the state of Arkansas, having secured a grant from the state government, and he served on the home's Board of Directors since its founding. He served on the Board of Directors of the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce and worked to get Hospice of the Ozarks established. He had owned Ed Gilbert and Associates Realty, had received the "Lifetime Multi-million Dollar Producer" award, and was a homebuilder for over 30 years. Survivors are his wife, Carolyn Gilbert, of the home; a daughter, Jessica (Josh) Evans, Mountain Home; two brothers: Roland (Marsha) Gilbert and Ron Gilbert, all of Mountain Home; two grandchildren: Calvin and Corbin Evans; nieces and nephews: Connie Ann Sales, Tony (Sally) Gilbert, Terri (Kent) Holder, Todd (Jodi) Gilbert, Angie Gilbert, and Kirk Gilbert. He was preceded in death by his parents. Visitation will be from noon-9 p.m. Saturday at Roller Funeral Home with the family receiving friends from 6-8 p.m. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010, at Twin Lakes Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Sam Bailey officiating. Interment will be in Baxter Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers are Tony, Todd, Buck and Kirk Gilbert; Jim McCracken and Roger Morgan. Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Ozarks or the Ozark Community Home. Online guestbook www.rollerfuneralhomes.com.