Gilbert L.

De Lucia, III

It saddens our hearts to announce that Gilbert L. De Lucia, III, 87, formerly of Malta, NY, passed away in his sleep at his residence in Henderson, NV, on October 19, 2026. He is survived by his wife, Sydna Lou (nee Cash), two children, Caroline (Armen) and Gilbert (Anne), six grandchildren, and his brothers Vincent (Claudia) and Ronald (Charlene).

Gil was a member of the Ballston Spa High School class of 1958. After graduating from St. Lawrence University, with an engineering degree and an Officer’s commission in the US Army, he was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas in the 3rd armored division. While there, he and his roommate “borrowed” an M48 Patton Tank and cruised around the base with their dates. Gil’s date was to be the love of his life, Lou, and they were married for 60 years at the time of his passing. What man could possibly resist a woman willing to climb down the hatch of a tank for him?

Upon completion of his military service, honorably discharged not withstanding late-night forays in military vehicles, he was hired as an engineer at the aeronautical firm of LTV and lived in Arlington, Texas.

Following the passing of his father, Gilbert L. De Lucia, Jr., in 1967, he took a sabbatical from LTV and temporarily moved back to NY to help successfully support the family business (De Lucia’s Market) with his mom Rose (nee Lanzone), who passed away in 1996.

Since “home is where the heart is,” he eventually returned to Malta and taught at the Waterford-Halfmoon Junior-Senior High School with his wife, Lou for 25 years. He loved that school, and the teachers, staff, and students! The school reciprocated that love and loyalty by naming one of their chapters of the National Honor Society after him when he retired.

He and Lou often split their time between NY and NV for many years until finally moving there permanently to be near their children and grandchildren.

Gil loved the change of seasons in NY, his wonderful, handsome, and brilliant brothers (since they are helping to write this, Gil would expect nothing less from them), his beloved nieces, Kim (Scott), Laurie (Scott), and Anne (Meo), and his many beloved cousins. He always looked forward to the Lanzone and De Lucia family reunions along with gatherings of his dear high school and childhood friends. Yet, when asked about moving to Nevada he always said “my children and grandchildren own me”, as our hearts are owned by him.

He will be buried at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada at a later date.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com