Colonel Mark Deemer Gilson, USAF – Retired

Colonel Mark Deemer Gilson (USAF Retired), 73, of The Villages, FL, passed away on August 29, 2017 at The Villages Regional Hospital. He was born in Lansing, MI. He attended Michigan Tech on an Ice Hockey Scholarship. He then graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology and also received the Honor Trophy, an award earned by outstanding achievement in Scholarship, Athletics and Leadership. He earned a Master of Business Administration in Aviation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He also attended the War College at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, AL and took the Air War College Resident Program. He moved to Florida in 2011 from Chicago, IL.

Colonel Gilson served in the United States  Army and Air Force from January 1969 through March 1996. He was a Fighter Pilot who flew the F-4 “Phantom ” and F-16 “Fighting Falcon” jets, was a Squadron Commander and was DO of the 7^th Air Force. He served one tour in Vietnam where he flew Medivac helicopters.

During his time in the USAF, he was awarded the Silver Star; Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster (“OLC”); Bronze Star Medal; Meritorious Service Medal with two OLC; Air Medal with three Silver OLC; Air Force Commendation medal with OLC; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three OLC; Organizational Excellence Award; Combat Readiness Medal; National Defense Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star; Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars; Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon with one OLC; Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon with one OLC; Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with one OLC; Small Arms Expert Marksman Ribbon with one Bronze Service Star; Air Force Training Ribbon and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Colonel Gilson applied to be an Astronaut; however, because his degree was in Zoology and NASA was looking for Engineers, he was declined. He was disappointed. Following his time in the service, he was a Corporate Pilot flying G-IV’s, Lear Jets, Challengers, Gulfstream 100, and Astra XP. He also worked for Eastern Airlines as a Ticket Counter Supervisor and for Northwest Airlines as a Passenger Service Manager.

In 2006, Mark wrote an article that was published in the IS-BAO newsletter. IS-BAO is a prestigious company in the Corporate Aviation Industry. The article was titled, “Operational Risk Analysis – A Vital Tool For Managing Aviation Safety”. The Risk Analysis Tool provided a built-in process for management review and analysis of various scenarios under varying parameters. The published work and the process he created were used in many areas of the aviation industry.

Mark was a “Pilots Pilot” and was a dedicated patriot. He was active in the American Legion, a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and The Villages Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1036. He was a friend to everyone and also had a sense of humor. He was also warm, caring and loving. In The Villages, he organized a men’s golf group and weekly, planned different games.

He had a number of hobbies including being an avid University of Michigan fan.  To say that he believed strongly in the “Go Blue” motto would be an understatement. He had a Maize and Blue golf cart and golf bag. He also liked ice hockey, especially the Chicago Blackhawks, all sports, travel and cruising. Bucket list trips included an African Safari in South Africa, a cruise of South America and the Amazon. In Queenstown, New Zealand, Mark bungee jumped from a bridge that was 141 feet above a rampant river attached to nothing more than a great rubber band.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Tom and Marie Gilson; and brothers, Tim Gilson and Don Arends. He is survived by his wife, Diane Gilson; son, Eric Gilson, Bend, OR; daughter, Jill Gilson, Phoenix, AZ; brother, Charles Paul Gilson, MI and sister, Judy McCalla, MI.

Colonel Gilson will be interred at Florida National Cemetery with full Military Honors.