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Steamboat Springs resident Warren Ellsworth "Gil" Gilbertson died Dec. 16, 2005, at his home. He was 84.

Gil was born in Eau Claire, Wis., on Aug. 4, 1921.

Gil began ski jumping at an early age as an expression of his Norwegian heritage.

He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in 1937.

He went to the University of Wisconsin to study civil engineering. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corp in 1942, attended the officer training program at Yale University and was stationed in England during World War II. Later, he was part of the 530th/ 9th Aviation Squadron, Strategic Air Command assigned to the Atomic Weapons Squadron. He finished his career in the U.S. Air Force serving in the Korean War.

While in the service, he was a member of the Air Force Patrol and won a National Pistol Championship and many regional events. He ended his military career in 1953, with the resignation of his commission in the Air Force at the rank major.

He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Denver. This led him to a civil service career in Washington, D.C., where he worked in the executive office for President Eisenhower in the Bureau of the Budget. While working there, he attended American University, passing the master of arts program comprehensive exam for public administration. He then took his public administration background to the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, where he became the budget officer for the public health service.

While living on the East Coast, he started his own ski school in Wisp, Md., and operated contract ski lessons at Braddock Heights. He recently received his 40-year membership award from the Professional Ski Instructors of America. The Washington, D.C., Ski Club earned national honors under his presidency. He was a certified flight instrument instructor and an avid sailor on the Chesapeake Bay.

For Gil, retirement meant that he could finally pursue a political career. He was actively involved in the Republican Party. He moved to Steamboat Springs, where he had previously won a national ski jumping title in 1948.

He was selected to be the Routt County chairman of the Republican Party. He was elected to State Board of Education for the Third Congressional District.

He was passionately involved in ski jumping as a national judge and was active in Boy Scouts and the Optimists.

Gil's competitive spirit led him, at age 71, to develop a love for golf. A lifetime of skiing culminated in a heli-skiing adventure in the Bugaboos, Canada, at age 81.

Warren E. Gilbertson was a leader, scholar, musician, athlete, soldier, teacher, administrator, entrepreneur, and husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather and friend.

He is survived by his wife, Elaine; daughters, Cathy and Susie and her husband Bruce; their children, Sean and Dane; son, Chris and his wife Kandise; their son, Gunnar; sons, Brad and Kyle; brother, Roger; and sister, Beverly.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Northwest Visiting Nurse Association in care of the Yampa Valley Funeral Home at P.O. Box 776090, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477.

A celebration of Gil's life was held Dec. 23, 2005, at Howelsen Hill's Olympian Hall.