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Gilbert (Felek Gebotszrajber), Fred 'F.R.'
Fred “F.R.” Gilbert (Felek Gebotszrajber), 90, of Cedar Rapids and Los Angeles, Calif., died Monday, Oct. 26, 2009. Services were Tuesday at Temple Judah by Rabbi Todd Thalblum. Burial: Eben Israel Cemetery. Cedar Memorial Westside Chapel is entrusted with the arrangements
Fred is survived by a son, Jack Gilbert of Albany, Calif.; and two daughters, Doris (Gary) Gilbert-Stieger of San Francisco, Calif., and Lena Gilbert of Springville.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers and sisters, who all perished during World War II; and his cherished wife, Ann, of 62 years, on Dec. 13, 2008.
Fred was born Feb. 15, 1919, in Warsaw, Poland, to Josef and Doba Gebotszrajber. He married Ann Gilbert (Chana Zylberstajn) on Jan. 2, 1946, in Scwabisch Hall, Germany, where he was appointed Chief of Police. He and Ann lived in Cedar Rapids from 1949 to 1986 where he was the general manager for purchasing and sales for E. Cohn and Sons, retiring in 1985. Fred was an active member of Temple Judah and in the community. He was a lifetime member of B'nai Brit. He and Ann both were Holocaust survivors. He spent over five years in 19 different concentration camps and was liberated in April 1945. Fred and Ann lectured frequently about their experiences. They lived in Los Angeles from 1986 to 2003 and were very active in the survivor community. He and Ann were regular speakers at the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. In 2003, he and Ann returned to Cedar Rapids to be near to Lena.
Fred was devoted to his wife, Ann, and always held her in highest regard, especially her cooking talents. Fred took great pride in having served as an interpreter at the Nuremberg Trials and enjoyed his lifelong fluency in Yiddish, Polish, German, Czech, Russian and English. Fred's great sense of humor and patriotism impressed everyone he met and he shall be greatly missed.
Instead of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Holocaust fund of Temple Judah or to the Simon Wiesenthal Center - Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles.
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