Gilbert Ferrell

Gilbert Douglas Ferrell, 92, of Wilson, NC, died on April 4, 2025.

A memorial service to honor Gilbert will be held at First Christian Church, Wilson, on Thursday, April 10, at 2:00 p.m. A celebration of life with friends and family will be held following the memorial service at the Kennedy Family Theatre Atrium at Barton College, from 3:00-5:00 p.m.

He was born on May 9, 1932 in Wilson and was preceded in death by his parents, Manley G. and Pattie F. Ferrell, his loving wife of 68 years, Sue Brooks Ferrell, and his great granddaughter Margaret Miller Robins.

Gilbert graduated from Charles L. Coon High School in Wilson, NC and was a 1954 graduate of Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) in Wilson.

Gilbert spent thirty-eight years in public education, thirty-seven of which were spent in Wilson. He was a teacher, coach, and athletic director for twenty years at Fike Senior High School, and he was Athletic Director for Wilson County Schools for seventeen years until his retirement in 1994. He was a lifetime member of the First Christian Church in Wilson.

He was inducted into the Fike High School, Barton College, George Whitfield Baseball Clinic, North Carolina High School Athletic Directors and the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Halls of Fame. He was twice named North Carolina High School Athletic Director of the Year. The Fike High School Baseball Complex is named in his honor. Gilbert was recognized as both a coach and an administrator in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s “100 to Remember,” which honored the state’s best high school coaches, administrators, female athletes and male athletes as part of its Centennial Celebration in 2013.

Gilbert positively touched many lives during his career as a teacher, coach, and athletic director. He was a pillar in the Wilson community and will be missed by all who knew him. He leaves many wonderful memories of the time students, friends, and family spent with him, and the competitive intra-family golf matches will never be the same without him.

He is survived by his three children—Leigh Robins Kirkman (Don Kirkman) of Pine Knoll Shores, Gilbert D. “Bert” Ferrell, Jr. (Pam Taylor) of Wilson, and Patricia “Trish” Ferrell Meade(Jon Meade), of Wilson. He is also survived by two grandchildren—Katherine Robins Wall (Braxton Wall) of Raleigh, and Miller Douglas Robins (Cait Robins) of Cary, and by four great grandchildren—Holden and Brooks Wall of Raleigh and Henry and Shea Robins of Cary. Gilbert is also survived by his sister, Patsy Ferrell, of Wilson.

The family would also like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Linda Edmundson, who was like another member of the family caring for both Gilbert and Sue in the last years of their lives. Her care and compassion were extraordinary. The family also extends thanks to the other members of Gilbert’s caregiving team—Cherry, Antoine, Denise, and Datwan—who were there day and night to provide care during the last chapter of his wonderful life.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Barton College in support of the athletic program at Barton College, Office of Institutional Advancement, P.O. Box 5000, Wilson, NC 27893; First Christian Church, PO Box 2702, Wilson, NC 27894; or the North Carolina Baseball Museum, P.O. Box 8142, Wilson, NC 27893.

Arrangements by Wilson Memorial Service, 2811 Fieldstream Dr. N, Wilson, (252) 237-7171; www.wilsonmemorialservice.com