Mr. John “Frank” Gilder, 86, of Fernandina Beach passed away at his home, Monday, November 6, 2023.

He was born in Atlanta, GA and was a son of the late John Henry and Etta Clements Gilder.

Mr. Gilder proudly served his country in the U. S. Army and retired as a First Sergeant in the Army Reserves.

In 1972, after a long-distance courtship and romance, Frank and Kay wed and settled in Atlanta.

While living in Atlanta, they were avid competitive bowlers, amassing many trophies over the years. Friends also came from near and far to enjoy their “world-famous” annual 4th of July parties; fun was had by all. He and Kay also treasured their annual vacations with his siblings. Every fall Saturday was spent watching his favorite team, the Georgia Bulldogs, while listening to Larry Munson on the radio. To call him a huge Georgia fan is an understatement; just a quick peek at his yard and house would remove all doubt.

Frank retired as a Radiologic Technician from the Veterans Administration Hospital in Atlanta after many years of service. In his profession as a Radiologic Technician, he was active in many facets in the Atlanta area. He was still an active member of the Georgia Radiologic Society where he also served as the Society’s Historian and was inducted as a lifetime member.

After retirement, he and Kay moved to Fernandina Beach in 1999, which fulfilled his dream of being close to his siblings on a daily basis. In Fernandina Beach, he enjoyed multiple rounds of golf each week, but anyone that played with him would tell you that his real passion was actually looking for golf balls that others had lost, amassing a collection in the thousands. Frank loved dancing whenever he could and he and Kay were members of the Terpsichorean Dance Club. He enjoyed walking on the beach, practical jokes, history, trivia and solving the daily crossword puzzle. He was a huge Survivor fan, keeping a detailed log of each weeks’ episode, with many hours spent pondering who was going to win that season. Frank will always be remembered for doing things his way. He had his own style, process, and way of “going about things”.

Above all else, he loved his family, especially his grandchildren. Each summer, he would host his grandchildren to an action-packed week of visiting Grandpa and Nana to include cannon and fort building in the garage, paddle-boating, checker-playing, and teaching them how to fish. Frank would follow-up every trip with a well-documented personalized photo album for each grandchild.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his beloved wife, Kay, in 2020 and a brother, Walter Gilder in 1961.

He leaves behind his children, John Frank “Bo” Gilder, Jr. of Windor, GA, Jeff (Genie) Gilder of Alpharetta, GA, and Lauren (Joe) Perkins of Woodstock, GA; a sister, Elizabeth (Joe) Belden of Fernandina Beach; a brother, Kenneth Gilder of Fernandina Beach; seven grandchildren, Megan, Haley, Griffin, John “Grayson”, Ryan, Molly, and Riley, as well as two great grandchildren, Caroline and Theodore.

The family will receive friends Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors from 5:00 until 7:00 PM.

He will be laid to rest at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GA at a later date. Services to be announced for Atlanta friends and family.

Rather than flowers, the family asks he be remembered with donations to the Wounded Warrior Project.